Over the past decade, organisations have chosen virtualization as a means to improve digital efficiency. You may have even come into contact with it yourself through Cloud storage. But what exactly does virtualisation entail? Where does your data go when you’re not accessing it? And how can you protect a “virtual” machine from the malware that so often infects physical devices?
What Is Virtualization?
Virtualization allows a server to be used for multiple applications simultaneously by separating the virtual environments from hardware. A traditional computer has software downloaded onto the physical device and the two cannot be separated.
A virtual machine, also called a guest machine, is a completely virtual environment not tied to any one physical device. These machines can often be accessed from many different devices, so long as those devices have the technological capability to do so. A device used to access the virtual environment is called a “host” machine, because it temporarily hosts the virtualized software. Many different types of digital resources can be run as virtual environments, including the following:
- Applications
- Operating systems
- Desktops
- Data
- Networks
- Servers
The software that divides up physical resources for these virtual environments to use is called a hypervisor. It generally runs on top of the usual operating system.
Why Do Organizations Choose To Virtualize?
The main drive with virtualization is efficiency. By employing a hypervisor, companies can utilize space and processing power previously wasted. This, in turn, can speed up processes, saving time and money.
How Does Virtualization Security Work?
Just like your physical devices, virtual machines need security to protect them from malware. Unlike physical devices, they cannot be protected by antivirus suites downloaded onto a singular host. If a guest machine isn’t running during a security update, it doesn’t receive the vital information and can be left vulnerable the moment it comes online. Since hypervisors manage multiple virtual environments, updating each one-by-one would be time-consuming, costly and ultimately unsecure.
A better option, then, is to employ security over the entire hypervisor layer. This ensures all virtual environments are protected and receive crucial updates. It also guards your infrastructure from cyberattacks geared specifically toward hypervisor layers.
What Other Protection Should You Have?
While hypervisor security is essential to keep your systems free of viruses, the work doesn’t end there. Since host machines are required to access the virtual environments, they are effectively ports through which malware may enter your system. Each host machine, then, needs to be fully protected with antivirus software.
Fortunately, there are options that cover all platforms. A single security provider can potentially offer protection for virtual, cloud and physical devices.
Keeping your devices secure is integral to protecting your information, identity and networks. Super Source GmbH can help by providing antivirus and IT expertise to ensure your digital resources remain out of the hands of cybercriminals. To learn more about our services, visit us online.