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A jump server gives authorized users a controlled route to machines on a private network without making those target machines’ management ports publicly reachable. To set one up, choose between an OpenSSH gateway you operate and a provider-managed access service, then design identity, network reachability, and audit logging around your requirements.
What a jump server does
A jump server, also called a bastion host or jump box, is an intermediary for reaching resources on a private network. AWS Prescriptive Guidance defines a bastion host as “a server that provides a single point of access from an external network to the resources located in a private network.” The target can remain private; the client reaches it through the gateway rather than connecting to its SSH service directly from the internet.
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This makes the gateway a privileged access boundary, not a security guarantee by itself. It must be protected, maintained, and limited to authorized users and destinations. A jump server is useful when you need a controlled route into a network; it does not replace network segmentation, strong authentication, least-privilege permissions, or monitoring.
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The right design depends on whether you already operate SSH infrastructure, need a separate gateway, and require recorded session content. These options are not interchangeable: a managed tunnel may avoid public inbound ports, but its audit capabilities and prerequisites can differ from a conventional SSH connection.
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| Option | Gateway and network exposure | Identity and prerequisites | Logging consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenSSH ProxyJump | You operate a reachable jump host. The target may remain on a private network; the jump host must be reachable from the client. | Uses the SSH client and keys or other SSH authentication configured by your organization. | Logging and audit controls are yours to configure on the hosts and surrounding infrastructure. |
| AWS Systems Manager SSH to a managed node | Can avoid maintaining a bastion and avoid opening inbound SSH to the internet, for supported managed nodes. | Requires SSM Agent 2.3.672.0 or later on the managed node and Session Manager plugin 1.1.23.0 or later on the client; IAM policies govern access. | AWS says Session Manager logging is unavailable for SSH sessions because SSH encrypts the session data and Session Manager acts as a tunnel. |
| AWS private-subnet bastion pattern | Places a bastion in a private subnet and uses Session Manager and EC2 Instance Connect, with no inbound ports exposed to the public internet in the documented pattern. | Uses IAM-controlled access, Systems Manager interface VPC endpoints, and a temporary public-key push to the bastion. | Plan logging and monitoring for the full access path. The AWS example is a proof of concept, not a production-ready deployment. |
| Azure Bastion | Provides portal or native-client access to VMs without requiring a public IP on the target VM. | Connection methods and authentication depend on SKU and configuration; target SSH must be reachable from Bastion. | Choose and verify audit controls for the connection method and your requirements; do not assume every access method records session content. |
Use OpenSSH ProxyJump when you want to retain an SSH workflow and can operate the gateway and its policies. Consider AWS Session Manager when your nodes are managed by Systems Manager and reducing inbound exposure or eliminating a separate bastion matters. Azure Bastion is an option for Azure VM access where portal or native-client connectivity and avoiding a target public IP fit the design.
Set up a self-managed OpenSSH jump host
OpenSSH’s ProxyJump feature, invoked with -J, tells the client to connect to the jump host and have it establish TCP forwarding to the final destination. The target does not need to accept SSH connections from the client’s public network, but it must be reachable from the jump host and accept the client’s credentials.
Before connecting
- Provide a network route from your client to the jump host and from that host to the target’s SSH service.
- Limit the jump host’s allowed inbound sources and restrict which target destinations users can reach.
- Confirm that your SSH user and key are authorized on the target. If separate credentials are needed on the jump host, configure them deliberately rather than sharing private keys broadly.
- Patch and monitor the gateway, and define how access and administrative activity will be recorded.
Connect with one command
- From a client with OpenSSH, run
ssh -J [email protected] [email protected], substituting your jump-host address, target address, and usernames. - Authenticate to the jump host if prompted, then to the target as configured. OpenSSH uses the jump host as a forwarding intermediary; it does not make the target publicly reachable.
- If the connection fails, check name resolution and routing from the client to the gateway, then from the gateway to the target, followed by firewall rules and SSH authentication at each relevant point.
The command form is suitable for a one-off connection. OpenSSH also supports multiple jump hops if a network requires them; add only the hops needed to reach the destination and keep their access scope narrow.
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Save a reusable client configuration
Add host entries to ~/.ssh/config on the client. For example:
Host private-app
HostName 10.0.2.15
User target-user
ProxyJump [email protected]Then connect with ssh private-app. Keep the configuration on the client that initiates the connection. Do not put private-key contents in the file; protect any key files separately and grant access only to the people and systems that need them.
Be cautious with agent forwarding
OpenSSH’s manual warns that a person able to access a forwarded agent socket may perform authentication operations using identities loaded in the agent, even though they cannot obtain the key material itself. Prefer ProxyJump without agent forwarding where it meets the access design. Enable agent forwarding only when necessary and when the intervening host is trusted and controlled.
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Use AWS Systems Manager for SSH access
AWS documents SSH directly through Session Manager to managed nodes, without maintaining a bastion host. The target needs SSH running and SSM Agent version 2.3.672.0 or later; the client needs Session Manager plugin version 1.1.23.0 or later. Access can be allowed or denied through IAM policies for users, groups, or roles.
The SSH client configuration invokes aws ssm start-session through a ProxyCommand. Follow AWS’s current configuration and IAM guidance for the account and region you use rather than copying a sample without adapting it. Verify that the node is managed and reachable through Systems Manager before troubleshooting the SSH layer.
A crucial audit limitation is that Session Manager logging is not available for SSH or port-forwarding sessions: SSH encrypts session data, and Session Manager functions as a tunnel. If policy requires capture of interactive session content, establish an alternative that meets the requirement before selecting this pattern.
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Use an AWS bastion pattern without public inbound ports
AWS Prescriptive Guidance describes a different design: a bastion in a private subnet, accessed using Session Manager and EC2 Instance Connect, with no inbound ports exposed to the public internet. The documented pattern uses Systems Manager interface VPC endpoints and pushes a temporary public key to the bastion. AWS says that key remains available for 60 seconds.
AWS labels the example a proof of concept and says it assumes Amazon Linux 2, which the page describes as nearing end of support. Treat it as an architectural example, not a production recipe to deploy unchanged. Adapt the operating system, IAM permissions, network controls, endpoint configuration, key handling, and monitoring to your environment and current AWS guidance.
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Azure Bastion supports portal-based and native-client access to VMs without requiring a public IP on the target VM. In Microsoft’s documented connection options, browser-based portal access is available with Basic or higher, while native-client SSH and IP-based connections require Standard and the relevant features enabled. Authentication options vary by connection method and include Microsoft Entra ID, username/password, and SSH keys.
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The target VM must allow SSH on port 22 or a custom port that is reachable from Bastion. Check the SKU and enabled features before choosing a client method, and use Microsoft’s current network requirements for the exact deployment and connection mode. Required traffic varies; a generic port list may not apply to your configuration.
Secure and operate the access boundary
Design the gateway around least privilege: authorize specific people or roles, restrict reachable destinations, and segment networks so the gateway is not an unrestricted route through the environment. Protect private keys and credentials, use strong authentication, patch the host or managed components, and monitor access using controls appropriate to the chosen connection method.
For Azure, Microsoft’s security guidance dated August 10, 2026 recommends deployment consistent with network segmentation principles and network security groups on both the Bastion subnet and target VM subnets. Apply the vendor’s current traffic requirements for the selected SKU and mode rather than opening broad access based on a generic example. For AWS, scope IAM permissions and network access to the actual nodes and workflows that users need.
Quick Recap
Validate the design before relying on it
- Reachability: The client can reach the chosen gateway or provider service, and that path can reach only the intended private targets.
- Identity: Authorized users can authenticate; unauthorized users and roles are denied; key or identity lifecycle responsibilities are clear.
- Exposure: Target management services do not have unnecessary public access. Confirm which inbound ports, public addresses, or provider endpoints the selected architecture actually requires.
- Audit: Verify which events and, where required, session contents are captured. Do not treat a tunnel as a recorded session.
- Recovery: Document how to revoke compromised credentials, remove a user’s access, and restore connectivity if the gateway or provider path is unavailable.
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