In addition to the mentioned practices, it is recommended to implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for user access to VMs. You can also enhance security by using Azure Bastion, which provides secure and seamless RDP and SSH connectivity to your VMs without exposing them to the public internet. Regularly auditing and monitoring VM activity and configuring robust firewall rules are other essential steps to safeguard your Azure VMs.

While the mentioned measures are crucial, it is equally important to educate your team on best security practices to prevent human errors and social engineering attacks. Conducting periodic security assessments, vulnerability scans, and penetration tests can help identify and mitigate any potential security weaknesses.

One alternative solution to enhance VM security is to use Azure Firewall as a network-based web application firewall (WAF). By integrating Azure Firewall with your VM deployments, you gain additional protection against web application vulnerabilities and layer 7 threats. This approach centralizes the security control and reduces the need for individual VM security configurations. Combining this with other security practices like strong authentication mechanisms and regular audits further strengthens VM security.

One important practice is to regularly update and patch your VMs to protect against vulnerabilities. Additionally, you can leverage Azure Security Center to monitor and manage the security of your VMs. Implementing strong network security measures, such as configuring network security groups and applying access control lists, is also crucial. Finally, consider enabling features like Azure Disk Encryption and Azure Key Vault for further data protection.

Apart from the mentioned measures, adopting just-in-time (JIT) access control for your VMs can significantly reduce the attack surface. Azure AD Conditional Access Policies allow you to enforce policies like requiring users to use trusted devices, limiting access based on location, and more. Furthermore, enabling Azure Security Center's just-in-time VM access can restrict remote management access to VMs only when needed, minimizing exposure. Regularly reviewing security recommendations provided by Azure Security Center ensures ongoing adherence to best practices.