Disable Lync Media Traffic over IPv6

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I stumbled upon a kb this afternoon that caught my eye.

I have a couple of customers at the moment having some challenges with IPv6 and Direct Access, and this one – added in the August Security update for the Office2013-based version of the client – might be just what we’re looking for.

kb3080519: Adds a policy setting from in-band provisioning to disable media traffic over IPv6 in Skype for Business or Lync 2013.

Symptoms

“When you deploy DirectAccess to connect to Microsoft Lync 2013 (Microsoft Skype for Business), media traffic that is set up over IPv6 may be unreliable and drops easily. This update adds a new client policy setting from in-band provisioning in the endpointConfiguration provisioning group to disable media traffic over IPv6”.

How to apply the update

“To apply this update, install the August 11, 2015 security update (KB3055014) for Lync 2013 (Skype for Business).”

OK, I’ve done that. Now what?

The description of kb3080519 indicates the new “DisableMediaOverIPv6” value is an in-band setting in the csClientPolicy – but if you go looking for it you’re not going to find it:

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Lync 2013 / SfB 2015 Client Update – October 2015

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I don’t know about you but it’s always refreshing to wake and find news of an update – especially when it contains fixes to issues you’ve encountered – and so it is that we have an October 2015 update for the Office2013-based version of the Lync and SfB client.

This one takes the Office 2013-based Lync/SfB client from 15.0.4753.1000 to 15.0.4763.1001.

What’s Fixed

This update fixes the following issues:

  • Kb3099414 You can’t record after you install MS15-097 for Lync 2013 (Skype for Business)
  • Kb3096516 Cursor doesn’t move to instant message input area in Lync 2013 (Skype for Business) when you press Ctrl + Shift + M
  • Kb3096515 Update Updates the “Find these settings in Options under Phones” text label in Lync 2013 (Skype for Business)
  • Kb3096514 “No matches” or “Address book synchronizing” is displayed when you search contacts in Lync 2013 (Skype for Business)
  • Kb3096512 A blank dialog box appears without any options in certain scenarios in Lync 2013 (Skype for Business)
  • Kb3096511 Content in Outlook Contact notes is garbled after you synchronize contacts from Lync 2013 (Skype for Business)
  • Kb3096509 Instant messages don’t display exact time in Skype for Business when you have the Korean or Japanese language pack installed
  • Kb3096508 The download for PAC file is frequently requested from the Skype for Business or Lync 2013 client
  • Kb3096507 Delegate can’t transfer a call in Lync 2013 UI if you have June or July update installed

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A Blog Post is Born

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No, blog posts don’t just happen.

MOST of the time they’re lovingly planned and conceived then eventually unleashed upon the world, although occasionally one gets away and I find it’s well in gestation before I’ve even realised it.

Still, regardless of the thought-processes and planning, there’s often a lot goes into a blog post and it’s perhaps worthy of documenting in itself.

“The Lab”

TheLab

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SfB 2016 Client Security Update – October 2015

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It’s barely out the gate and we already have an update for the Office 2016-based Skype for Business desktop client app, although this one just appears to be a catch-up, adding the fix for last month’s remote code execution risk into the new client.

Kb2910994: MS15-097: Description of the security update for Microsoft Lync 2013 (Skype for Business): September 8, 2015: “This security update resolves vulnerabilities in Microsoft Lync 2013. These vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted document or goes to an untrusted webpage that contains embedded OpenType fonts. To learn more about the vulnerabilities, see Microsoft Security Bulletin MS15-097.”

My client machine’s currently at 16.0.4266.1003, and this update purports to take it to 16.0.4288.1000, although as you’ll see in the Before/After section below, apparently “there are no products affected by this package installed on this system”. I’m running the full msi-based install of Office 2016, so I’m guessing this fixup might only apply to the click-to-run version.

What’s Fixed?

This security update also contains fixes for the following nonsecurity issues:

  • Invalid speech signal level when you convert a stereo microphone array to monaural. This results in noise or a full echo.
  • When you try to start the co-edit option from sharing, you receive the following error message: “Operating system is not presently configured to run this application.”
  • No mirrors occur when you open Skype Meeting in Microsoft Outlook for some languages.
  • The co-author option doesn’t work.
  • All instances of “co-edit” are renamed “co-author.”

What’s New?

  • Nothing yet(?).

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Lync Server 2013 Update – October 2015

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As with my previous post, this update so soon after the last looks to be brought to you by Apple and the number 9.

This update takes the server from 5.0.8308.927 to 5.0.8308.933, with 6 components affected.

What’s Fixed?

This cumulative update resolves the following issues:

  • Kb 3097592 You can’t join a meeting from outside Lync 2013 for iPhone or Lync 2013 for iPad on iOS 9
  • Kb 3083356 The RgsClients/Tab.aspx webpage times out when you restart a front-end server or update a topology in Lync Server 2013
  • Kb 3083355 High CPU usage after you publish a changed topology in Lync Server 2013 that has the Response Group Service run

What’s New?

Nothing apparently.

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SfB 2015 Server Update – October 2015

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There’s only a little one here to kick the new month off, and it looks like we have Apple and iOS 9 to thank for it.

This update takes the server from 6.0.9319.72 to 6.0.9319.88, with two components affected.

What’s Fixed?

  • kb3097592: You can’t join a meeting from outside Lync 2013 for iPhone or Lync 2013 for iPad on iOS 9.

[The iOS client won’t be updated and renamed until next week, hence what seems to be cross-version confusion here].

What’s New?

Nothing apparent just yet.

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Sonus SBC 1k/2k stuck as T1 after changing DS1 type

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I was bitten by this one recently and thought I’d share it.

tl;dr

After importing a known working “E1” config file into an SBC 1k/2k I found the ISDN will remain running in T1 mode – even though all of the running config says it’s E1. The fix is to reboot the box. Not even toggling back to T1 and then reinstating E1 fixed it for me – I had to go the reboot path.

Symptoms

I put my customer’s SBC upstream of their PABX one night and not long after I started receiving complaints of falls failing. Sure enough, the System / Statistics page was reporting an alarmingly high number of failed calls, although my test calls all seemed to succeed.

I eventually found the pattern – yes, calls were intermittently failing, and with an ISDN cause code 82: “Identified Channel Does Not Exist”. The failed calls were always for B-channels from 25 up. The penny dropped with a clang: it thinks it’s a T1.

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Lync Server 2013 Security Update – September 2015

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This month’s security update touches just about everything in my world it seems. Here are the relevant links for Lync Server 2013:

MS15-104: Description of the security update for Microsoft Lync Server 2013: September 8, 2015

This security update resolves vulnerabilities in Microsoft Lync Server. The most severe of these vulnerabilities could allow elevation of privilege if a user clicks a specially crafted URL. An attacker would have to convince users to click a link in an instant messenger or email message that directs them to an affected website by way of a specially crafted URL. To learn more about the vulnerability, see Microsoft Security Bulletin MS15-104.

This update takes the server from 5.0.8308.920 to 5.0.8308.927 – although there are only two components affected.

What’s Fixed?

Nothing apparent just yet.

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SfB 2015 Server Security Update – September 2015

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This month’s security update touches just about everything in my world it seems, and of course Skype for Business 2015 Server is no exception:

Kb3089952: Vulnerabilities in Skype for Business Server and Lync Server could allow elevation of privilege: September 8, 2015

To learn more about the vulnerability, see Microsoft Security Bulletin MS15-104.

This update takes the server from 6.0.9319.55 to 6.0.9319.72 – although there are only three components affected.

What’s Fixed?

This cumulative update resolves an issue in which KB3095143 Windows 10 users who use Edge can’t join a meeting from Skype for Business Web App.

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Lync 2013 / SfB 2015 Client Security Update – September 2015

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This month we have another security update – and this time it includes some fixes and new/changed functionality!

Kb3085500: MS15-097: Description of the security update for Microsoft Lync 2013 (Skype for Business): September 8, 2015:

“This security update resolves vulnerabilities in Microsoft Lync 2013. These vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted document or goes to an untrusted webpage that contains embedded OpenType fonts. To learn more about the vulnerabilities, see Microsoft Security Bulletin MS15-097.”

What’s Fixed?

  • Kb3088665 Adds an AllowSavePassword Group Policy setting to remove the Save Password check box in Skype for Business or Lync 2013
  • Kb3088668 Non-ASCII characters are removed from search box in Skype for Business or Lync 2013
  • Kb3088667 “c0000005” error occurs and Skype for Business or Lync 2013 crashes when you upload a file to a persistent chat room
  • Kb3088669 Your phone numbers disappear when you expand a distribution group in contact list in Skype for Business or Lync 2013
  • Kb3088664 The “Copy” and “Select All” options are disabled for the first instant message in Skype for Business or Lync 2013
  • Kb3088660 Skype for Business or Lync 2013 SDK provides the same window handle value for different PSTN conversation windows
  • Kb3088671 The updated address book can’t be downloaded in Skype for Business or Lync 2013
  • Kb3088670 Call transfer doesn’t transfer a call to the contact that you select in Skype for Business or Lync 2013

What’s New?

  • Kb3088666 Update changes the text label from “Skype call” to “Skype for Business call” in Skype for Business or Lync 2013

Before

After
Sept2015ClientSecurityUpdate-SkypeCall-Before2 Sept2015ClientSecurityUpdate-SfBCall-After2

(I’ve only captured one appearance, but you’ll find this change has been made throughout the client).

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