Azure VM Host Security and Hardening

Cloud security starts at the host level, yet securing virtual machines is often overlooked. Understanding how to protect your virtual infrastructure in Azure is essential for safeguarding your data. This text-based course guides you from security basics to implementing robust host-level protection. You will learn how to reduce your attack surface, configure secure access, and apply modern defense-in-depth principles. What you'll learn: 1. Understand foundational cloud security concepts and the shared responsibility model. 2. Configure Azure Bastion and Just-In-Time access to secure management ports. 3. Apply host-level encryption and manage cryptographic keys securely. 4. Implement zero-trust network security groups. 5. Monitor VM health and detect threats using modern security center tools. 6. Practice hardening virtual machine configurations through structured written scenarios. The course begins with essential security terminology and foundational definitions before moving into step-by-step guidance on network isolation, access control, and host encryption. Designed for beginner cloud administrators and IT professionals new to Azure security, this course has no prerequisites. Start reading today to build a more secure and resilient cloud environment.