Securing your virtual environment

With more and more people using virtual environments for practically everything, it is becoming more and more important to secure it from virus attacks to security threats. Though virtual environments do not have the same issues as physical environments, it is still vital to keep your data safe. Here are some tips to share with you on how to keep things running smoothly:

Safeguarding your virtual server environment is vital, even though it doesn’t have the same issues as a physical environment. Here are a few tips to keep things running smoothly:

• Only install what is necessary on your host machine and keep your Operating System (OS) and other applications current for both virtual and host machines.
• You would also need to isolate the virtual machine by installing a good firewall. This will ensure that only secured and approved protocols are deployed. Isolating the virtual machine allows you to identify what information goes where do the necessary troubleshooting if anything happens.
• Install and keep your antivirus updated on your virtual machines. Current and updated versions of antivirus will be able to detect any new viruses and keep it away from the risk of viruses and worms that an easily infiltrate virtual spaces.
• Apart from a good antivirus, you would also use a strong encryption code between the host and virtual machines for the simple reason of avoiding it from being attacked or hacked by third party programs. It also decreases the risk of getting a virus.
• If you want to surf the internet, never do it using the host computer. This is because spyware and malware can easily infiltrate through the host computer and spread to the virtual machines, which will make troubleshooting and getting rid of these viruses a huge task.
• Accounts in your host machine should be properly secured to prevent and unauthorized access or hacking.
• Just like installing what is necessary, your use of the host machine should only be done when you need it. If you are not utilizing the virtual machine, shut it down.
• Look out for the needs of network sharing or connections with other sources. If your virtual machine has no need to connect with other networks, then just isolate it. You can use a separate network card on a different network range if you need to connect.
• Always monitor the event log and security events on both the host machine and on the virtual machine. These logs should always be stored in your log vault for security and for auditing purposes at a later date.
• When using any hardware, do a check to see if that hardware is compatible with your version of the virtual machine and is designed for the specific use of a virtual machine.
• Another security aspect to consider is the strict management of remote access to your virtual machines especially to the host machine as this can minimize any attach and exposure to viruses.
• Also, avoid sharing IP addresses as this will attract a host of vulnerabilities that you do not want.

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