1. Virtual Machines = Real Security
Ernest Staats MS Information Assurance, CISSP, MCSE, CNA, CWNA, CCNA, Security+, I-Net+, Network+, Server+, A+
Resources

2. Outline Virtual Machines What is VM software Three types of VM
Advantages of Virtual Machines
Disadvantages of VM Technology
Well known supported VM software
Using VM technology for securing your network
Tools to help you use VM software better
Top VM Software tools
Notice
Suggested Resources

3. What is VM Software?
Running multiple independent virtual operating systems on a single physical computer.
It is a way of maximizing physical resources to maximize the investment in hardware. It is now feasible to turn a very inexpensive 1U dual-socket dual-core commodity server into eight or even 16 virtual servers that run 16 virtual operating systems.
An abstraction layer that separates the physical hardware from the operating system
Makes DR and testing DR truly an option without impacting daily life for most users
Turns a physical machine in to a file that can be moved from one system to another.
Virtualization allows multiple virtual machines, with heterogeneous operating systems to run side-by-side on the same physical machine.
VM are encapsulated into files making copying and provisioning new services a simple process.
Very exciting and destined to be a big mover in IT

4. Three Types of VM Hardware Virtualization: PARA- Virtualization:
Most known technology
VMWare
Parallels
Microsoft
Basically virtualizes hardware resources so all VMs “think” they have exclusive access to the hardware resources
PARA- Virtualization:
Can also support multiple OS's, Linux and some Windows versions with the right CPU chips
Xen has more efficient processing and lower overhead which translates into better performance.
Is similar to hardware emulation it can also support multiple OSs and Xen is the only provider in this space. Xen does provide more efficient processing and lower overhead which translate into better performance
How to Install Windows on Xen you need A VT- enabled Intel system or an AMD-V enabled AMD system

5. Three Types of VM Cont. OS Virtualization: Is a different approach
Sun’s Solaris Containers
SWsoft’s Virtuozzo
Open Source OpenVZ.
It uses a single OS and can not support multiple types of OS's on the same server. Although you can have multiple OS's as long as they are the same as the host machine.
When you patch the host OS you also patch all the VM’s at the same time.
Instead of using a guest/host paradigm, OS-level virtualization logically subdivides existing resources so that other OS instances can coexist within well-defined boundaries. Virtuozzo runs a single Linux kernel as its core and exports that core functionality to various distributions, each of which effectively becomes a stand-alone entity

6. Advantages of Virtual Machines
Quicker live backup and deployment
Faster recovery from bad patches or updates
Faster recovery after an attack
Better use of Hardware resources
Can Reduce support cost.. Automatic Provisioning during system failure (Cassatt and others)
Power savings
Test your server configuration backup before they are needed
Lab environment to test upgrades, new versions, new configurations Fix issues without worrying about crashing a production server
Rapid Deployment
Great for Security auditing and penetration testing Environment
Test ISO images before you waste CD/DVD to make sure they work UBCD4WIN, BackTrack
Monitoring your network
Monitoring your system in background Run Apps which use SQL to control and monitor networks without dedicated severs

7. Disadvantages of VM Technology:
Several Management Tools still lack ability to fully understand virtual machines
Rapid Deployment
Latency of Virtual Disk
VM ware 13% IEEE 2003 study
MS Server 28% CapitalHead.com
(OS VM technology will not have these issues as bad and SAN’s or I-SCSI can also reduce or eliminate this bottle neck)
Dealing with sever sprawl
Managing, Patching, and Securing, so many systems can become challenging
Dealing with Backups of VM and their data sets
Monitoring VM Specific Security issues (Blue Pill)
Several Management Tools still lack ability to fully understand virtual machines (getting better every day literally)

8. Well Known & Supported VM Software:
Server Virtual Machines:
VM Ware Server – runs on top of windows or Linux -- Free
GSX server runs on top of Windows or Linux replaced by VM Server
ESX server starting at 1000 & UP installed on Bare metal boxes No OS
Microsoft - Virtual Server - Free
Xen
Xen - Open Source Options- Free for Linux distributions only
Xen Enterprise As low as 488 a year and UP annual and perpetual subscriptions
SWsoft Virtuozzo- Windows & Linux starting at $1200
OpenVZ – Free but Linux only
SWsoft Virtuozzo list education and non profit discounts will run Linux and MS Server products

9. Well Known & Supported VM Software Cont:
PC Based options include:
VM Ware workstation
Microsoft Virtual PC
Parallels Workstation for Windows and Linux
Parallels Desktop for Macintosh

10. Using VM Technology to Secure the Network
DR with VM:
Take server reload time from hours/days to minutes or at most couple of hours
Auto provision servers when one fails a new one can automatically be started up, have the VM loaded, and production resumes in minutes when hardware fails.
Software testing and deployment of new applications:
Quickly setup a test lab environment
Train users without disrupting production systems
Load code on systems that mimic true production environment to user interoperability.
Test patches without interruption of production systems
Penetration Testing
VM workstation - Penetration testing, system auditing, and file recovery with UBCD4Win and Remote exploit

11. Network Auditing & Pen Test:
Using VM to load security tools
Using VM to load hacking tools that might disrupt your system
Browse hacking/security sites without compromising a network PC
Truly anonymous surfing test security software on a sacrificial VM file
Use a VM machine that runs as a server in the background to constantly audit your system.

12. Managing Network Resources
Management and Policy Control Software:
SWsoft’s Ability to manage several servers from one interface and to have one host system which when patched means all other systems on that host OS is also patched
Automatically bringing more severs online when loads reach a set threshold
Lessen the exposure factor if your organization only has a few key servers by being able to bring a VM of them up if they should fail your network is not taken offline for prolonged periods of time
Cassatt
Virtual Iron
Load balancing and Auto provisioning DR
Xen Enterprise has some tools
VMware also has some tools
MS Windows Server 2003 Automated Deployment

13. Helpful VM Tools: P2V Physical to Virtual
PlateSpin
VMware
Leostream HelperApps
Xen Enterpise
MS Virtual Server Migration Toolkit - MS Virtual Server P2V Migration Toolkit (free-- great way to backup servers)
Ultimate-P2V Article on how to cheaply move from P2V
V2P Virtual to Physical great for deploying a standard image across different hardware
Plate Spin Recon to determine current server utilization and automatic load balancing or provisioning
Cassatt Announces New Software to Manage and Control Virtual Machine Sprawl ... Management is moving steadily toward service- and policy-based objectives ...

14. Helpful VM Tools Cont: Management and control software: Cassatt
Virtual Iron
Load balancing and Auto provisioning DR
Policy Based VM software
Backup software
Never Fail
ESX Ranger
Install backup agent on VM ware
Use MS windows backup inside of VM environment
Use VM wares pearl scripts to backup VM images live
Parallels Compressor Server:
Speed up VM Machines by compressing them
Compress any virtual server… Compatible with virtual servers built with Parallels Server (expected late 2006), VMware Server, VMware GSX Server, Microsoft Virtual Server. …or any virtual workstation Compatible with virtual workstations built with Parallels Workstation 2.2, Parallels Desktop for Mac, VMware Workstation, Microsoft Virtual PC
Seamlessly works with Windows server and desktop editions Parallels Compressor Server works with any version of Windows 2000, XP or 2003 Server.
Save on storage costs Eliminate the need to buy additional external storage, or a larger internal hard drive, to accommodate growing virtual machines.
Improve virtual machine performance By reducing hard-disk size by 50% or more and optimizing OS parameters, Parallels Compressor reduces virtual hard drive call times and speeds overall performance.
Make your virtual servers and workstations portable Reduce virtual servers and workstations to a size that can be easily burned to a DVD or transferred to another machine via the Internet or a LAN.

15. MS Virtual Server Tools
Virtual Server 2005 Migration Toolkit
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Windows Server 2003 Automated Deployment Services
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Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 Management Pack
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Virtual PC vs. Virtual Server: Comparison of Features and Uses
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Virtual Server 2005 Migration Toolkit—
A free, downloadable tool for Virtual Server 2005, Virtual Server Migration Toolkit (VSMT) simplifies the migration of an operating system and installed applications from a physical server to a server running within a virtual machine that is provided and managed by Virtual Server With Virtual Server 2005, you can set up multiple virtual machines running different operating systems and applications on the same physical computer
Windows Server 2003 Automated Deployment Services--
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Learn about Windows Server 2003, Automated Deployment Services (ADS), a powerful solution for rapidly deploying Windows server operating systems onto bare-metal servers across large, scaled-out installations. With support for script-based mass server administration, ADS also enables administrators to administer hundreds of servers as if they were one
Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 Management Pack--
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The Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 Management Pack enables you to monitor physical computers running the Virtual Server service and the virtual machines that the service hosts. The Virtual Server R2 Management Pack can be used with computers running either Virtual Server 2005 or Virtual Server 2005 R2.

16. Avoid “All Your Eggs in One Basket"
Common Server Types:
HTTP
FTP
DNS
DHCP
RADIUS
LDAP
File Services using Fiber Channel or iSCSI storage
Active Directory services
Have spare bare metal ready to go or better yet do load balancing to increase response time and have a failover backup in place
One of the big concerns with virtualization is the "all your eggs in one basket" syndrome. Is it really wise to put all of your critical servers into a single physical server? The answer is absolutely not! The easiest way to avoid this liability is to make sure that a single service isn't only residing on a single server. Let's take for example the following server types:

17. Comprehensive Technology Partner Ecosystem
Applications
Management
Operating System
CPU
I/O Subsystem
Networking
Storage
Citrix, ORACLE, Business Objects, IBM, bea, SAP
IBM, BMC Software, Altiris, HP, CA, Symantec, OPSWARE Inc.
Redhat, SUSE, Microsoft, Sun, Novell
Intel, AMD
QLogic, Emulex, intel, broadcam
Cisco Systems, Check Point
EMC2, IBM, HP, Net APP

18. Disclaimer
This presentation only covered the more common VM options there are many more options including Virtual appliances which would be a totally different presentation.
VMware, for example, in June introduced VMware Infrastructure 3, which heightens the focus on management and high availability to enable customers to group virtual resources into a pool that can be allocated according to application demands

19. Suggested Resources: Step by Step Power Points for deploying VM
Put together by one of my Helpdesk Crew At GCA he is a Junior at GCA
Step-by-Step Creating a VM Server Virtual server
Step-by-Step Creating a Microsoft Virtual Server
Step-by-Step Creating a Open Source Xen Virtual Server es.net/
Overview Video for Xen Enterprise
The two best General articles I have read about installing VM technology
Installing Virtual Server Microsoft Virtual Server from the ground up
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How VMware Server works -- Getting started with VMware on Windows
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Cassatt Whitepaper
Iron Geek. Com great step by Step videos for security/Hacking Demos he demonstrates how to leverage VM technology for penetration testing and network auditing.
The two best General articles I have read about installing VM technology
Gave lots of tips on how to secure the local host OS first

20. More Reading Links SWSOFT Virtuozzo Top Ten Considerations
For Choosing a Server Virtualization Technology
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Virtuozzo-Wikipedia.org
Virtuozzo commands virtual server stage
Virtuozzo White Papers
The Hidden Costs of Virtualization
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Ultimate-P2V Article on how to cheaply move from P2V