SSH and RDP access in Azure - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is SSH access used for in cloud virtual machines?

SSH (Secure Shell) is used to securely connect to Linux-based virtual machines in the cloud to manage and configure them remotely.

beginner

What does RDP stand for and what is it used for?

RDP stands for Remote Desktop Protocol. It is used to connect securely to Windows-based virtual machines in the cloud with a graphical interface.

intermediate

How do you secure SSH access to an Azure VM?

You secure SSH access by using strong SSH keys instead of passwords, restricting IP addresses in Network Security Groups, and disabling root login.

intermediate

What Azure service helps manage RDP and SSH access centrally?

Azure Bastion provides secure and seamless RDP and SSH access to virtual machines directly through the Azure portal without exposing public IPs.

beginner

Why should you avoid exposing RDP or SSH ports directly to the internet?

Exposing these ports directly increases the risk of unauthorized access and attacks. Using secure methods like Azure Bastion or VPNs reduces this risk.

Which port is commonly used for SSH access?

A 80

B 22

C 3389

D 443

SSH typically uses port 22 for secure remote connections.

What protocol does RDP use to connect to Windows VMs?

A RDP

B SSH

C FTP

D HTTP

RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) is designed for Windows remote desktop connections.

Which Azure feature allows secure SSH and RDP access without exposing VM public IPs?

A Azure Firewall

B Azure Monitor

C Azure Load Balancer

D Azure Bastion

Azure Bastion provides secure access to VMs without public IP exposure.

What is a best practice for securing SSH access?

A Use password authentication only

B Open port 22 to all IPs

C Use SSH keys and restrict IP addresses

D Disable firewall

Using SSH keys and limiting IP access improves security.

Which port is used by default for RDP connections?

A 3389

B 22

C 443

D 21

RDP uses port 3389 by default for remote desktop connections.

Explain how SSH and RDP access differ and when you would use each in Azure.

Think about the operating system and type of connection.

Describe best practices to secure remote access to Azure virtual machines.

Focus on methods to reduce attack surface.