Microsoft Confirms OpenSSH Problems in Windows 11 23H2 Update KB5044380

Recent Windows 11 Update: New Features and Notable Issues

On October 22, 2024, Microsoft rolled out the latest non-security update for Windows 11, version 23H2, referred to as KB5044380. This update, available in builds 22621.4391 and 22631.4391, introduced various enhancements aimed at improving user experience, such as:

• Battery drain issues resolved
• Key remapping for Copilot
• Updated notification settings
• Other impactful usability improvements

However, not all aspects of this update have been positive; it has introduced notable issues as well.

Reported Problems: OpenSSH Connectivity Issues

Microsoft has officially acknowledged a significant problem concerning OpenSSH (Open Secure Shell). Following the installation of the KB5044380 update, some users reported that the OpenSSH service fails to initialize, thus preventing secure SSH connections.

“Following the installation of the October 2024 security update, some customers report that the OpenSSH service fails to start, leading to a halt in SSH connections. The service fails with no detailed logging, and manual intervention is required to run the sshd.exe process.”

This bug affects a range of users across different segments, including enterprise, IoT, educational institutions, and individual home users. However, Microsoft has indicated that the impact is currently “limited”to a subset of devices.

Temporary Workaround for Users

Fortunately for those experiencing issues, a temporary workaround is available. It involves updating the permissions of the affected directories, which can be executed via elevated PowerShell. Users can run the following command:


$directoryPath = "C:\ProgramData\ssh"
$acl = Get-Acl -Path $directoryPath
$sddlString = "O:BAD:PAI(A;OICI;FA;;;SY)(A;OICI;FA;;;BA)(A;OICI;0x1200a9;;;AU)"
$securityDescriptor = New-Object System.Security.AccessControl.RawSecurityDescriptor
$sddlString
$acl.SetSecurityDescriptorSddlForm($securityDescriptor.GetSddlForm("All"))
Set-Acl -Path $directoryPath -AclObject $acl


Microsoft also suggests applying this workaround to C:\ProgramData\ssh\logs to further mitigate the issue.

Future Updates and Ongoing Investigations

Currently, Microsoft is investigating this OpenSSH issue, and a resolution is expected to be included in an upcoming Windows Update.

It is noteworthy that while the KB5044380 update introduced these challenges, users of Windows 11 version 24H2 are encountering their own difficulties. Recently, Microsoft’s Task Manager update in KB5044384 has faced criticism for failing to accurately display the number of active applications and processes. Additionally, Microsoft has temporarily halted the rollout of new controller keyboards due to unspecified bugs, although these features remain accessible in Canary builds.