If you’ve ever worked with virtual machines in Azure, you’ve probably faced the same old question — how do I connect to my VM without making it vulnerable to the internet?
Most people go for a quick fix: open ports like 3389 (RDP) or 22 (SSH), attach a public IP, and call it a day. It works — until one day, a security scan lights up like a Christmas tree. That’s where Azure Bastion quietly steps in.
What Exactly Is Azure Bastion?
Think of Azure Bastion as a secure bridge between you and your virtual machines.
Instead of exposing your VM to the outside world, Bastion lets you connect through your browser — straight from the Azure Portal — using SSL over port 443.
No public IPs.
No inbound ports.
No attack surface.
It’s Microsoft’s way of saying, “You don’t need to open the gate to let someone in when there’s a secure tunnel right beneath it.”
How It Works Behind the Scenes
Here’s the simple flow:
You deploy Azure Bastion inside your Virtual Network (VNet).
The service sits inside a dedicated AzureBastionSubnet.
When you click “Connect → Bastion” on a VM, Azure sets up a browser-based RDP/SSH session.
The entire connection happens through Azure’s backbone network, not the public internet.
It’s almost like connecting to a private internal network — only, you didn’t have to set up a VPN, jump host, or firewall rules.
đź”’ Why It Matters
Bastion changes the way teams handle remote access in the cloud. Here’s why engineers love it:
No Public IP Needed: Your VM remains invisible to the world.
No Port Management: Forget keeping track of open ports or security group rules.
Zero Trust Ready: Bastion plays nicely with Microsoft Entra (Azure AD) and Conditional Access policies.
One-Click Access: You can RDP or SSH from any browser, anywhere — even on a tablet.
Auditable & Controlled: All actions pass through Azure’s infrastructure, so logging and monitoring are simpler.
đź’ˇ A Real-World Analogy
Imagine you manage a secure office building. Instead of giving every employee a key to the front door (public IP), you create a secure access tunnel that only staff can use after logging in with their work ID.
That’s Azure Bastion — a security-first entry point for your virtual machines.
⚙️ Deployment in 3 Simple Steps
Create a Bastion Host
In the Azure portal, search for “Bastion” → Create.
Choose your VNet and a subnet named AzureBastionSubnet.
Connect to a VM
Access Securely
Done. No network gymnastics needed.
đź’° The Pricing Angle
Azure Bastion isn’t free, but it’s predictable.
You pay a fixed hourly rate for the Bastion host + outbound data transfer.
For small setups, the Basic tier works fine.
For enterprises that manage multiple VNets and users, Standard offers scaling and sharing capabilities.
The cost is usually justified by what it replaces — public IPs, jump hosts, VPN gateways, and potential data breaches.
🚀 Where Bastion Shines
Remote access for developers and admins
Regulated industries like finance, healthcare, or defense
Environments following a zero-trust network model
Any scenario where VMs must never touch the public internet
🧠Conclusion
Azure Bastion might not make flashy headlines, but it’s one of those quiet defenders that keep your infrastructure clean and secure. It simplifies life for IT teams — no VPN hassles, no firewall juggling, just clean, encrypted, browser-based access.
If your cloud security strategy values minimal exposure and maximum control, Bastion isn’t optional — it’s essential.