What is Azure Bastion?

Azure Bastion is a fully managed platform-as-a-service (PaaS) that provides secure and seamless RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) and SSH (Secure Shell) connectivity to your virtual machines (VMs) directly from the Azure portal, without exposing them to the public internet.

Here’s how Azure Bastion works and why it's beneficial:

Key Features:
No Public IP Exposure: Azure Bastion allows you to access your virtual machines without needing a public IP address, reducing the attack surface and securing your environment from common threats like port scanning.

Browser-based Access: It integrates directly with the Azure portal, enabling RDP and SSH connections over SSL, which means you can connect to your VMs securely using just your web browser.

Full Integration with Azure: Bastion is deeply integrated with the Azure portal, making it a seamless part of your network infrastructure. No additional client software is needed.

Security Benefits: Since all traffic flows through Bastion over SSL (port 443), it prevents direct exposure to common vulnerabilities like brute-force attacks and ensures a secure, encrypted connection to your VMs.

Real-World Example:
Let’s say you manage several VMs in Azure that host sensitive applications. Normally, you would need to expose an RDP or SSH port to the internet for remote management, which can become a potential entry point for attackers. With Azure Bastion, you eliminate the need to open those ports to the internet, allowing you to connect to the VMs securely over the Azure portal.

Pricing:
Azure Bastion is a paid service. Pricing is based on the hours that the Bastion host is running and the amount of data being transferred during your RDP or SSH sessions.

Use Cases:
Secure Access: For developers and system administrators who need to manage VMs without exposing them to the internet.
Production Environments: For sensitive environments where minimizing attack vectors is critical.
Organizations with Compliance Requirements: When meeting strict security and compliance standards, Azure Bastion provides an extra layer of security.
In summary, Azure Bastion simplifies secure VM management by allowing safe, private access without public IP exposure, making it an excellent solution for enhancing the security of your Azure infrastructure.