How do you secure your OS when running it on a virtual machine?

Virtualizing an operating system (OS) is a process of creating a virtual environment that mimics the hardware and software of a physical computer. This allows you to run multiple OSes on a single machine, or access your OS from different devices. However, virtualization also poses some security risks, such as malware infection, data leakage, or unauthorized access. In this article, you will learn how to virtualize an OS and how to secure it from common threats.

1 Choose a virtualization software

The first step to virtualize an OS is to choose a virtualization software that suits your needs and preferences. There are many options available, such as VMware, VirtualBox, Hyper-V, or Parallels. Each software has its own features, advantages, and disadvantages, so you should compare them before making a decision. Some factors to consider are the compatibility, performance, usability, and cost of the software.

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Peter Lyons Kehl

Rust Software Engineer; Investor; Speaker at Rustlang Conf42; Technical Reviewer; Loving Rust
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On Linux? Are your services behind a load balancer (reverse proxy)? Then you don't scale with virtualization, but with Docker-based instances managed with Kubernetes. Of course, if you deploy them in some cloud environment (AWS...), they will run in virtual machines. But, (unless you have special requirements) you want to use whatever pre-built images come from your cloud provider. That gives you preferred drivers for their networking, storage...

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2 Create a virtual machine

The next step is to create a virtual machine (VM), which is a file that contains the configuration and data of the virtualized OS. You can create a VM by following the instructions of your chosen software, or by using a pre-built image that already has an OS installed. You will need to specify some settings, such as the amount of memory, disk space, and CPU cores allocated to the VM, as well as the network and security options.

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3 Install or import an OS

Once you have created a VM, you can install or import an OS on it. If you want to install an OS from scratch, you will need a bootable media, such as a CD, DVD, or USB drive, that contains the OS installation files. You can then mount the media to the VM and follow the installation steps. Alternatively, you can import an OS from an existing source, such as another VM, a physical computer, or a cloud service. You can use tools like VMware Converter, Disk2vhd, or Parallels Transporter to perform the import.

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4 Configure the OS and the VM

After installing or importing an OS, you should configure it and the VM to optimize their performance and security. For example, you should update the OS and the software to the latest versions, install the drivers and tools provided by the virtualization software, and enable the firewall and antivirus programs. You should also adjust the settings of the VM, such as the display resolution, the shared folders, and the clipboard synchronization.

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5 Secure the OS and the VM

The final step is to secure the OS and the VM from potential threats. You should follow some best practices, such as using strong passwords, encrypting the data, and backing up the VM regularly. You should also isolate the VM from the host machine and the network, by disabling the unnecessary services, ports, and protocols, and by using a virtual private network (VPN) or a virtual local area network (VLAN). Moreover, you should monitor the activity and the resource usage of the VM, and scan it for malware and vulnerabilities.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you secure your OS when running it on a virtual machine?

1

2

3

4

5

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1 Choose a virtualization software

2 Create a virtual machine

3 Install or import an OS

4 Configure the OS and the VM

5 Secure the OS and the VM

6 Here’s what else to consider

Operating Systems

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How do you secure your OS when running it on a virtual machine?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Choose a virtualization software

2 Create a virtual machine

3 Install or import an OS

4 Configure the OS and the VM

5 Secure the OS and the VM

6 Here’s what else to consider

Operating Systems

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