Virtual PC and Virus'

[Guest]

I am running an XP guest OS in a 2007 Virtual PC. Virtual Machine additiona
have been installed. The Virtual PC recently became infected ith several
virus'. I immediatly disabled the network card within the VPC. Should I be
concerned that my main OS may become infected? CAn a virus on a virtual pc
infect the host OS?

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

It can, same as any machine on a local network. If you disabled the vpc's
network card before it spread, then the infection is likely isolated to just
that vhd.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[Anthony]

weather you run windows native or in a vm, it is still windows and has all
the same security flaws and you need good anti-virus and anti-spy software
installed even under the VM

 

[Jerry]

So what do you do when running guests with obsolete OSs (like Win 3.1 or
W95) for which there are no up-to-date security programs?

 

[ronald.phillips]

So what do you do when running guests with obsolete OSs (like Win 3.1 or
W95) for which there are no up-to-date security programs?

You'd be suprised. There are still AV programs out there for DOS.
Anyways you don't need an AV for your DOS guest since you can just
mount the VHD as another drive in Windows and scan it with your host
AV program.

 

[Malke]

So what do you do when running guests with obsolete OSs (like Win 3.1 or
W95) for which there are no up-to-date security programs?

Don't give the obsolete OS an Internet connection and don't share files
from it locally.


Malke

 

[John Barnett MVP]

A virtual machine is just as vulnerable as the host machine and it is
therefore important that both the host and guest machines have their own
anti virus software installed.

I'm currently running three operating systems - Vista as host and XP and
Server 2008 (beta) as guest and each operating system has its own copy of
anti virus software.

If you see my article
http://vistasupport.mvps.org/creating_a_virtual_machine_with_vmware.htm you
will note that I make a point of informing the reader that anti virus
software and firewall are an important addition to any virtual machine.
While the article relates to VMware workstation (which in my opinion is far
better than Virtual PC 2007) the main points of the article relate equally
to both virtual machine applications.


--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows - Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

 

[Lang Murphy]

I am running an XP guest OS in a 2007 Virtual PC. Virtual Machine
additiona have been installed. The Virtual PC recently became infected ith
several virus'. I immediatly disabled the network card within the VPC.
Should I be concerned that my main OS may become infected? CAn a virus on
a virtual pc infect the host OS?

Yes, you should be concerned, because, yes, a virus in a VM -can- infect the
host, depending on how the guest's networking is configured. (I think...
late night, a few beers... c'est la vie.)

Lang

 

[Mark Rae [MVP]]

Yes, you should be concerned, because, yes, a virus in a VM -can- infect
the host, depending on how the guest's networking is configured. (I
think... late night, a few beers... c'est la vie.)

Of course it can, just like a virus on a real machine can transfer itselft
across the network onto another real machine...

 

[Jerry]

What about the firewall? If I use Shared Networking (NAT) as my setting in
the VM, is my host system firewall all I need? Or else, do I need one in the
VM as well?

 

[John Barnett MVP]

I am running XP as one of my guests and the windows firewall on XP is
enabled; so yes use a firewall on your host and guest operating systems.

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows - Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

What about the firewall? If I use Shared Networking (NAT) as my setting in
the VM, is my host system firewall all I need? Or else, do I need one in
the VM as well?

 

[Mark Rae [MVP]]

What about the firewall? If I use Shared Networking (NAT) as my setting in
the VM, is my host system firewall all I need? Or else, do I need one in
the VM as well?

Yes.

The easiest way is to remember that a virtual machine is *exactly the same*
as a real machine from the point of view of the software (OS and apps)
installed on it...

If a real machine can't connect to the network, any virus on that real
machine can't infect the rest of the network...

Same with a virtual machine...

 

[Lang Murphy]

Of course it can, just like a virus on a real machine can transfer itselft
across the network onto another real machine...

Yes... the point I was trying to make was that it is possible to have the
guest on a different network without access to the host machine. In that
situation, a virus is not going to jump from the guest's vhd to the host's
hd.

Lang