Build a Azure Cloud Lab for Cyber Security Training

You may not have a server or a good computer for cyber security practice with virtual machines. Today we will create an Azure Lab for cyber security practices. We need just one debit or credit card.

Advantages

• Azure is charging just $1 for the first time, and the platform gives you $200 in credit for one month. Your 8 CPU, 16 RAM, and 250GB SSD requirements will cost $0.17 per hour.
• After cost exceeds payment, it does not happen, and they are not charging for your machines without your permission.
• You can reach your virtual machines with your mobile phone from everywhere. You can use Azure mobile and Microsoft RDP mobile applications for this.

We will create a virtual machine for the SEP Manager system.

We will start with signing up for the Azure platform:

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/free/

When you create a new Microsoft account, you have to input your debit or credit card for verification yourself.

After that validation, you are ready to create your first cloud virtual machine.

Select Create a resource

And next “Create a resource” page select create.

I selected (US) West US 2 because EustUS is not allowing for 4 CPUs on the free trailer. We are selecting our Azure subscription 1 option (if you do not have this option, the page will forward you to the free trailer page). And create a resource group name for categorization.

Give the virtual machine a name and choose the security type. By default, the security type is Trusted Launch Virtual Machines. This selection comes with vTPM and secure boot security features. If you want to be more secure, you can select Confidential Virtual Machines.

After that, we are selecting our OS for deployment. I can select only x64 in the VM architecture field because of the Server 2019 architecture.

You can enable the “Run with Azure Spot Discount” option. This option is possible; somebody else can use these unused resources and save money.

I am selecting B4as_v2 Vm Size for SEP Manager system requirements.

Then we are creating an admin account for our virtual machine. I selected only RDP for this machine for security purposes.

After that we can continue with Disks.

By default OS disk size is 127 GiB and you can change this with 256 GiB. And we can attach a new disk at this page.

On the networking page, we have to create a new virtual machine network. Then select the subnet. By default, Azure is assigned a public IP for our virtual machine and we will connect with RDP.

I am allowing 80, 443, and 3389 for the SEP Manager Inbound Firewall rule. SEP Manager is using another port, but this page is allowing only this option. After virtual machine creation, we can add another specific set of firewall rules.

On the monitoring page, we can create an alarm for our virtual machine source management.

When our configuration is over, we are selecting the Review + Create button. Then we are ready to connect our first cloud virtual machine. A virtual machine starts automatically after creation.

Go back to the main page and click Virtual Machines. Select the created virtual machine.

On the Overview page click connect and Azure give you Public IP adress for connection with RDP application.

You have reached your first cloud security lab. Enjoy.

Important Note : You can enable Auto-Shutdown for less charging.

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