Highlights

VMworld 2007 – Best Virtual Security Product

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Here it is, fresh from the VMworld exhibit hall:

An antivirus scanner built into the hypervisor. Created by Georgia Tech student Mukil Kesavan.

Okay, this isn’t really a product yet (which makes it truly virtual ;-) ). It was created by a VMware intern and exhibited in the academic poster area. In any case, I thought it best demonstrated the potential for practical security benefits in a virtualized environment. That would be:

  • separation of functions (i.e. the automated "segregation of duties")
  • removal of agents from systems (VMs)
  • context awareness of host and network activities
  • optimization of effort (scanned files can be "hashed and cached" in a "known good" area)

Oh, I also particularly liked Kidaro, VMware ACE, and BlueLane, but that is another story.