What is Azure Bastion?
Azure Bastion is a fully managed network security service by Microsoft that provides secure and seamless Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and Secure Shell (SSH) access to virtual machines (VMs) directly through the Azure portal. Launched in 2019, this service offers a secure, integrated connectivity option by isolating worker nodes from public interfaces. With Azure Bastion, all VMs are kept off the public internet, reducing exposure to potential external security threats
Why Does Azure Bastion Exist?
Azure Bastion exists primarily to enhance cybersecurity. This service eliminates the need for organizations to expose their virtual machines to the internet in order to enable RDP and SSH connections, thus significantly minimizing the attack surface. It provides an extra layer of security with two-factor authentication (2FA) and Azure Active Directory integration. Azure Bastion also simplifies network security management as it does not require you to manage Network Security Groups (NSGs) separately.
Who Needs Azure Bastion and How is It Used?
Azure Bastion is ideal for businesses and organizations that heavily utilize cloud infrastructure and are concerned about cybersecurity. System administrators, cloud architects, and DevOps teams particularly find Azure Bastion beneficial as it enables them to securely manage and maintain virtual machines. Usage is straightforward; after deploying Azure Bastion in a virtual network, RDP and SSH connections can be created directly from the Azure portal using the Bastion service.
Azure Bastion and Cloud Infrastructure
In the context of cloud infrastructure, Azure Bastion plays a critical role in enhancing security and improving management processes. Its integrated connectivity option helps maintain the robustness of the cloud infrastructure by keeping all VMs away from public exposure. Simultaneously, Azure Bastion significantly stimulates a seamless and more secure management process by facilitating quick and easy access to VMs from the Azure portal. Furthermore, it epitomizes the principle of least privilege access by requiring multi-factor authentication before granting access, thereby minimizing potential internal threats.
Azure Bastion, while not as commonly used as other Azure services due to its more recent introduction, is gradually gaining attention and use amongst companies and organizations seeking enhanced VM protection. As cybersecurity challenges continue to soar, services like Azure Bastion that provide secure access to digital resources are destined to become more prevalent.
