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The issue of Azure VM requiring a password set is a frustrating one, but don't worry, it's a solvable problem.
A key factor to consider is that Azure VMs have a password expiration policy that can trigger this issue.
The password expiration policy can be set to a specific time frame, and if the password hasn't been updated within that time, the VM will prompt for a password reset.
To resolve this issue, you need to update the password of the Azure VM.
VM Connectivity Issues
The Azure VM keeps requiring password reset, and it's frustrating to deal with connectivity issues. This can happen due to various reasons, including the Azure VM itself or the configuration in Azure.
Most of us are not aware of the configuration that's essential before RDPing VM with Azure AD credentials. If these configurations are not in-place, you'll struggle with accessing the VM.
The Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) connection to your Windows-based Azure virtual machine (VM) can fail for various reasons. This can leave you unable to access your VM.
There's no single solution to this issue, rather certain steps need to be followed to ensure you can successfully RDP to the Azure VM. For more information, refer to troubleshooting Remote Desktop connections to an Azure virtual machine.
Resetting and Rotating VM Passwords
To reset your Azure VM password, you can use the Azure portal. Follow these steps to alter the password for your Azure Virtual Machine (VM).
The Azure portal can be utilized to carry out the simple task of altering the password for your Azure Virtual Machine (VM). To reset the password for your Azure virtualizing machine, follow these steps.
To reset the password, choose the Reset password option in the Reset password blade. After confirming your Azure virtualized machine’s username, type and confirm the new password.
You can manually enter the new password or enable Azure to generate an interim one in the password reset pane. Make sure the password fulfils the security requirements for the business you work for.
To troubleshoot Azure VM RDP issues, you may need to check the configuration in Azure. Most of us are not aware of the configuration that is essential before you RDP VM with Azure AD credentials.
Select “Virtual Machines” from the menu on the far left of the Azure dashboard, or type the word into the top search bar container. Click on the name of the virtual machine (VM) who’s username requires to be reset from the list of available virtual machines.
To ensure you can successfully RDP to the Azure VM, you need to follow certain steps. For more information, refer to troubleshooting Remote Desktop connections to an Azure virtual machine.
Using Azure CLI and Portal
To reset the SSH configuration, you can use the Azure portal or the Azure CLI. In the Azure portal, click Browse > Virtual machines > your Linux virtual machine > Reset Remote Access.
Using the Azure CLI, you can perform various tasks such as resetting the password, resetting the SSH key, creating a new sudo user account, and resetting the SSH configuration. You can run commands like azure vm extension set to access these features.
To get started with the Azure CLI, run azure vm extension set –help for detailed extension usage. You can then use commands like azure vm extension set to reset the password and SSH key, or create a new sudo user account.
Use the CLI
Using the CLI is a great way to manage your Azure resources, and it's actually quite straightforward once you get the hang of it. You can use the Azure CLI to reset the password, reset the SSH key, reset the password and the SSH key, create a new sudo user account, reset the SSH configuration, delete a user, and display the status of the VMAccess extension.
To get started, you'll need to run the azure command from your command-line interface, which can be Bash, Terminal, or Command prompt. You can do this by running the command `azure vm extension set --help` to get detailed extension usage.
You can perform a variety of tasks using the Azure CLI, including resetting the password, resetting the SSH key, and creating a new sudo user account. Here are some of the specific tasks you can accomplish:
- Reset the password
- Reset the SSH key
- Reset the password and the SSH key
- Create a new sudo user account
- Reset the SSH configuration
- Delete a user
- Display the status of the VMAccess extension
To run these commands, you'll need to substitute the name of your virtual machine for "vmname" in the command. For example, if your virtual machine is named "myvm", you would run the command `azure vm extension set myvm`.
Modify RDP File
Modify the RDP file to enable Azure AD logon by appending specific data to the file. To do this, navigate to the overview page of the virtual machine, select Connect, and click Download RDP File. Right-click the Azure VM RDP file and open it with Notepad.
The final RDP file data should include the following details: Full Address, Prompt for credentials, Authentication level, Enablecredsspsupport, Username, and Domain. You can use the following list to understand each field:
- Full Address: The IP address of your Azure VM, including the Remote Desktop Protocol port (3389).
- Prompt for credentials: Set to 1 to prompt for credentials, or 0 to not prompt for credentials.
- Authentication level: Set to 2 to show a warning and allow connecting or refuse the connection if server authentication fails.
- Enablecredsspsupport: Set to 0 to not use Credential Security Support Provider (CredSSP) for authentication.
- Username: Specify the Azure AD user account name.
- Domain: Specify AzureAD as the domain name.
Save the file after making the changes.
Configuring VM Settings
Configuring VM Settings is crucial before you RDP VM with Azure AD credentials. The issue could be with the Azure VM, or it could be with the configuration in Azure.
Make sure the Azure VM is configured to allow RDP connections. This involves enabling Remote Desktop on the VM.
You should also check if the Azure VM is part of a Virtual Network (VNet) that has a subnet with a valid IP address. If not, you'll struggle with accessing the VM.
A common mistake is not having the correct configuration in place before attempting to RDP with Azure AD credentials. This can lead to frustration and confusion.
To avoid this, ensure that the Azure VM is registered with Azure Active Directory (AAD) and that the user account is a member of the correct group.
Verifying Azure AD and RDP Settings
To verify that Azure AD and RDP settings are configured correctly, you need to add the Azure AD user to the Remote Desktop Users Group on the VM.
You can confirm this by running the PowerShell command, which will show the Principal Source as Azure AD, indicating that the user has been successfully added.
To ensure the user has been added, run the command prompt as administrator and enter the command to add the Azure AD user, replacing the UPN attribute with the actual username.
If the command executes successfully, you should see a confirmation message, verifying that the user has been added to the group.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn off password authentication in Azure VM?
To disable password authentication in your Azure VM, SSH into the VM and edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set "PasswordAuthentication" to "no", then restart the SSH service. This will ensure only key-based authentication is allowed.
How do I reset my Azure VM password reset configuration only?
To reset your Azure VM password configuration only, select Reset configuration only and then Update in the Reset password window. This will update your VM's password configuration without changing the password itself.
Sources
- https://coding.abel.nu/2017/11/regaining-access-to-azure-vm-with-expired-password/
- https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-reset-a-azure-vm-password/
- https://github.com/Huachao/azure-content/blob/master/articles/virtual-machines/virtual-machines-linux-use-vmaccess-reset-password-or-ssh.md
- https://www.prajwaldesai.com/unable-to-rdp-azure-vm-using-azure-ad-creds/
- https://medium.com/@petrutbelingher/rotating-passwords-for-azure-virtual-machines-using-key-vault-secrets-and-azure-automation-acf3e11ccff7
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