Azure application security groups (ASGs) let you organize your virtual machines (VMs) based on their specific network security policies. These security policies will determine what traffic is or is not permissible on your virtual machine. As such, it’s important to understand application security groups so you can prevent unauthorized traffic to your VMs.
💡What is a Virtual Machine?
Virtual machines (VMs) are basically small pseudo-computers that run within your cloud environment. Just like a physical computer, a VM has its own operating system (e.g. Windows or Linux) and can run applications. However, it has no physical hardware and operates entirely on software. |
By using ASGs, you can reuse your security policies at scale without manually maintaining explicit IP addresses. This makes network security management much simpler and less time-consuming. However, one important thing to remember is that all VMs within an ASG must be within the same virtual network.
To get started with ASGs, read on.
Network security has become increasingly important as the digital threat landscape continues to evolve. Businesses currently face an unprecedentedly large attack surface due to the increased usage of online networks and IoT devices.
ASGs offer a simple yet effective way for business owners to rise to this challenge. By setting explicit security rules on who can access what, you can decrease your attack surface significantly.
ASGs can also let you control how users communicate on your network. This is a great way to curb suspicious activity and block improper usage.
With ASGs, you can ensure all VMs within a group follow the same security policies. This is a crucial benefit considering that 66% of organizations are struggling with inconsistent cybersecurity policies across their networks.
ASGs allow for granular control over traffic within your network. You can create detailed network security policies based on workloads, applications, or environments. It also helps you isolate parts of your network to prevent spread if a breach occurs.
ASGs can automatically handle an increase in VMs without the need for additional configuration. Therefore, there’s no need to spend additional time reconfiguring your security settings every time you add a new VM.
Because ASGs are integrated with Microsoft Azure, it’s easy to use them alongside other Azure features. You don’t need to learn a separate tool to manage security, nor do you need to worry about compatibility issues.
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Another feature in Azure is Azure Network Security Groups (NSGs). Both features help users control traffic on their network. So, what exactly are the main differences between ASGs and NSGs?
Azure ASGs | Azure NSGs | |
Purpose | To logically group VMs and define network security policies | To filter network traffic to and from Azure resources in an Azure virtual network |
Use Case | When you want to apply a network security policy to a specific group of VMs | To control inbound and outbound traffic to resources like subnets and network interfaces |
Granularity | ASGs allow for granular security policies within an NSG | NSGs provide a broader level of security at the subnet and network interface levels |
This article was only the beginning of all the things you can do with Azure security groups. There’s a lot to learn and understand, which is great if you have the time and interest. If not, there’s help.
Atmosera provides managed Azure services so you can take security group configuration off your plate. We’ll show you how to use ASGs like a pro, and take care of all the management and maintenance tasks involved so you don’t have to.
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