Configure Bastion for native client connections COMAND ERROR

[nemdl72]

Describe the bug

Run this command:
az network bastion rdp --name "xxxx" --resource-group "xxx" --target-resource-id "xxx"

Result:
The command failed with an unexpected error. Here is the traceback:
cannot import name 'WinDLL' from 'ctypes' (/usr/lib/python3.12/ctypes/init.py)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/knack/cli.py", line 233, in invoke
cmd_result = self.invocation.execute(args)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 666, in execute
raise ex
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 734, in _run_jobs_serially
results.append(self._run_job(expanded_arg, cmd_copy))
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 703, in _run_job
result = cmd_copy(params)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 336, in call
return self.handler(*args, **kwargs)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/azure/cli/core/commands/command_operation.py", line 120, in handler
return op(**command_args)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/home/nelson/.azure/cliextensions/bastion/azext_bastion/custom.py", line 284, in rdp_bastion_host
from ._process_helper import launch_and_wait
File "/home/nelson/.azure/cliextensions/bastion/azext_bastion/_process_helper.py", line 9, in
from ctypes import WinDLL, c_int, c_size_t, Structure, WinError, sizeof, pointer
ImportError: cannot import name 'WinDLL' from 'ctypes' (/usr/lib/python3.12/ctypes/init.py)

Related command

az network bastion rdp --name "xxxx" --resource-group "xxx" --target-resource-id "xxx"

Errors

Result:
The command failed with an unexpected error. Here is the traceback:
cannot import name 'WinDLL' from 'ctypes' (/usr/lib/python3.12/ctypes/init.py)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/knack/cli.py", line 233, in invoke
cmd_result = self.invocation.execute(args)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 666, in execute
raise ex
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 734, in _run_jobs_serially
results.append(self._run_job(expanded_arg, cmd_copy))
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 703, in _run_job
result = cmd_copy(params)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 336, in call
return self.handler(*args, **kwargs)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/azure/cli/core/commands/command_operation.py", line 120, in handler
return op(**command_args)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/home/nelson/.azure/cliextensions/bastion/azext_bastion/custom.py", line 284, in rdp_bastion_host
from ._process_helper import launch_and_wait
File "/home/nelson/.azure/cliextensions/bastion/azext_bastion/_process_helper.py", line 9, in
from ctypes import WinDLL, c_int, c_size_t, Structure, WinError, sizeof, pointer
ImportError: cannot import name 'WinDLL' from 'ctypes' (/usr/lib/python3.12/ctypes/init.py)

Issue script & Debug output

Result:
The command failed with an unexpected error. Here is the traceback:
cannot import name 'WinDLL' from 'ctypes' (/usr/lib/python3.12/ctypes/init.py)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/knack/cli.py", line 233, in invoke
cmd_result = self.invocation.execute(args)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 666, in execute
raise ex
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 734, in _run_jobs_serially
results.append(self._run_job(expanded_arg, cmd_copy))
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 703, in _run_job
result = cmd_copy(params)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 336, in call
return self.handler(*args, **kwargs)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib64/az/lib/python3.12/site-packages/azure/cli/core/commands/command_operation.py", line 120, in handler
return op(**command_args)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/home/nelson/.azure/cliextensions/bastion/azext_bastion/custom.py", line 284, in rdp_bastion_host
from ._process_helper import launch_and_wait
File "/home/nelson/.azure/cliextensions/bastion/azext_bastion/_process_helper.py", line 9, in
from ctypes import WinDLL, c_int, c_size_t, Structure, WinError, sizeof, pointer
ImportError: cannot import name 'WinDLL' from 'ctypes' (/usr/lib/python3.12/ctypes/init.py)

Expected behavior

connect to vm using rdp bastion for Entra ID accounts

Environment Summary

{
"azure-cli": "2.74.0",
"azure-cli-core": "2.74.0",
"azure-cli-telemetry": "1.1.0",
"extensions": {
"bastion": "1.4.1",
"ml": "2.37.1",
"ssh": "2.0.6"
}
}

Additional context

No response

[azure-client-tools-bot-prd]

Hi @nemdl72,

2.74.0 is not the latest Azure CLI(2.75.0).

If you haven't already attempted to do so, please upgrade to the latest Azure CLI version by following https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cli/azure/update-azure-cli.

[yonzhan]

Thank you for opening this issue, we will look into it.

[github-actions]

Here are some similar issues that might help you. Please check if they can solve your problem.

• az network bastion rdp error following docs #23228
• az network bastion rdp fails: ImportError: cannot import name 'WinDLL' from 'ctypes' #23143
• Windows RDP via Bastian using AZ network CLI from Mac won't work #27981
• Bastion RDP with native client #24736
• bastion native client #23984

---

Possible solution (Extracted from existing issue, might be incorrect; please verify carefully)

Solution 1:

The issue occurs because the 'az network bastion rdp' command is trying to import 'WinDLL', which is specific to Windows, on a non-Windows operating system. This command should give a better error message stating 'az network bastion rdp' is only supported on Windows. It can detect the operating system with 'sys.platform'.

Reference:

• az network bastion rdp fails: ImportError: cannot import name 'WinDLL' from 'ctypes' #23143 (comment)

Solution 2:

Resolved this by installing the full AZ CLI and NOT using the Azure Cloud Shell connector in Windows 11 Terminal (which seems to be AZ CLI lite). Once downloaded and installed the full AZ CLI client on my Windows 11 machine, I restarted Windows Terminal (PowerShell windows), and logged into AZ using the following and RDP opened up via the bastion.

az login

az account set --subscription "<sub-id>"

az network bastion rdp .......

Reference:

• az network bastion rdp fails: ImportError: cannot import name 'WinDLL' from 'ctypes' #23143 (comment)
• az network bastion rdp error following docs #23228 (comment)

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[microsoft-github-policy-service]

Thanks for the feedback! We are routing this to the appropriate team for follow-up. cc @isamorris, @bastionsuppgithub.

[microsoft-github-policy-service]

Thanks for the feedback! We are routing this to the appropriate team for follow-up. cc @isamorris, @bastionsuppgithub.