Any tips to keep my system safe from viruses that are infecting my VM?

[Theminecraftaddict555]

I am planning to test out certain websites and files that are known to be shady on my VM, I heard that some viruses can leak out of the VM and destroy your original machine if it gets infected?

 

If that is true, then are there any tips to keep my system safe from viruses that might leak out of my VM when testing it?

 

[smokefest]

3 minutes ago, Theminecraftaddict555 said:

I am planning to test out certain websites and files that are known to be shady on my VM, I heard that some viruses can leak out of the VM and destroy your original machine if it gets infected?

 

If that is true, then are there any tips to keep my system safe from viruses that might leak out of my VM when testing it?

 

Not sure. Install VM in a VM in a VM maybe ?

[RadiatingLight]

Don't confuse your VM with your real OS.

I did that once. accidentally fucked my real PC up and had to reinstall windows

[Drak01112]

4 minutes ago, Theminecraftaddict555 said:

I am planning to test out certain websites and files that are known to be shady on my VM, I heard that some viruses can leak out of the VM and destroy your original machine if it gets infected?

 

If that is true, then are there any tips to keep my system safe from viruses that might leak out of my VM when testing it?

 

Most well-known/good VMs keep the OS seperate from the VM and viruses should NOT be able to escape unless they were built to do so, even then they usually patch it a bit later. Just be sure to use well-known VM software.

[Theminecraftaddict555]

3 minutes ago, smokefest said:

Not sure. Install VM in a VM in a VM maybe ?

Good idea for vmception, but my system probably won't be able to handle that

2 minutes ago, RadiatingLight said:

Don't confuse your VM with your real OS.

I did that once. accidentally fucked my real PC up and had to reinstall windows

I won't as long as i install it in VBOX (virtual-box where that would be used to install the vm and contain it)

1 minute ago, Drak01112 said:

Most well-known/good VMs keep the OS seperate from the VM and viruses should NOT be able to escape unless they were built to do so, even then they usually patch it a bit later. Just be sure to use well-known VM software.

Is virtualbox a good software to install vm's on? Any other free recommendations?

[Mira Yurizaki]

If the virus can propagate over the network, then you're screwed. There's no way around it.

 

Otherwise the only thing a VM may do is prevent the virus from escaping the VM directly onto the host system itself.

 

EDIT: Well, you might be able to stop network propagation with some careful use of subnetting, but that's beyond my scope of knowledge.

[zMeul]

main OS - Linux distro

OS in VMs - Windows

[ARikozuM]

Use Virtualbox. Viruses shouldn't be able to go through the sandbox, but if they do, you're between "screwed" and "rekt" depending on your POV.

[Drak01112]

Just now, Theminecraftaddict555 said:

Is virtualbox a good software to install vm's on? Any other free recommendations?

Virtualbox is a Open source software so it should be fine. Just be sure to install AV on your VM just in case. 

[Windows7ge]

I like zMeul's idea:

"main OS - Linux distro

OS in VMs - Windows"

Use an OS that can't get infected by Windows based viruses the run windows in the VM.

[Theminecraftaddict555]

7 minutes ago, zMeul said:

main OS - Linux distro

OS in VMs - Windows

I prefer windows being installed on my OS though...If i get what you are saying

[Theminecraftaddict555]

3 minutes ago, Windows7ge said:

I like zMeul's idea:

"main OS - Linux distro

OS in VMs - Windows"

Use an OS that can't get infected by Windows based viruses the run windows in the VM.

hmm, I don't plan on changing my main OS anytime soon to be honest

[Windows7ge]

3 minutes ago, Theminecraftaddict555 said:

hmm, I don't plan on changing my main OS anytime soon to be honest

You can run Linux off a thumb drive or a spare HDD/SSD. You can even re-partition your boot drive and dual-boot Linux next to Windows. I did that on my laptop.

Primary partition: Linux Ubuntu

Secondary partition: Windows 10

I have the option to choose which OS to boot at system startup.

[Drak01112]

3 minutes ago, Windows7ge said:

You can run Linux off a thumb drive or a spare HDD/SSD. You can even re-partition your boot drive and dual-boot Linux next to Windows. I did that on my laptop.

Primary partition: Linux Ubuntu

Secondary partition: Windows 10

I have the option to choose which OS to boot at system startup.

Or better yet use hackintosh =P, please don't do that it's just piracy

[Theminecraftaddict555]

10 minutes ago, Windows7ge said:

You can run Linux off a thumb drive or a spare HDD/SSD. You can even re-partition your boot drive and dual-boot Linux next to Windows. I did that on my laptop.

Primary partition: Linux Ubuntu

Secondary partition: Windows 10

I have the option to choose which OS to boot at system startup.

Wait you can install a linux OS (Mint for example) inside a thumbdrive and every time you insert that thumbdrive in, you are able to boot into the OS?

[Windows7ge]

Just now, Drak01112 said:

Or better yet use hackintosh =P, please don't do that it's just piracy

Eh, don't get me started on Apple and how they do business. OSX and the hardware that comes with it is overpriced. Not to mention the software is designed to be used in a particular way with not many options for customization. If you like being a slave to your OS go OSX, if you like being spied on and getting viruses go Windows. At this time it seems the OS getting the least amount of crap is Linux so pick your favorite flavor cause Id recommend it over OSX. Besides when LTT made their OSX machine back in 2014 it was mentioned that hardware compatibility with the OS was limited so the best bet of the three is Linux for what will successfully run.

[ARikozuM]

1 minute ago, Theminecraftaddict555 said:

Wait you can install a linux OS (Mint for example) inside a thumbdrive and every time you insert that thumbdrive in, you are able to boot into the OS?

He's likely using GRUB.

[Windows7ge]

5 minutes ago, Theminecraftaddict555 said:

Wait you can install a linux OS (Mint for example) inside a thumbdrive and every time you insert that thumbdrive in, you are able to boot into the OS?

As far as my knowledge goes. Yes, you can. I know for a fact it's do-able with certain versions of windows. I know FreeNAS(FreeBSD) is designed to be ran off a USB drive. So why can't Ubuntu? I haven't tried an actual thumb drive installation but you can "try" Ubuntu from a USB stick once you get the boot loader running on it.

[Drak01112]

2 minutes ago, Windows7ge said:

As far as my knowledge goes. Yes, you can. I know for a fact it's do-able with certain versions of windows. I know FreeNAS(FreeBSD) is designed to be ran off a USB drive. So why can't Ubuntu? I haven't tried an actual thumb drive installation but you can "try" Ubuntu from a USB stick once you get the boot loader running on it.

You could do that, it's just that it would be slower.

[smokefest]

39 minutes ago, Theminecraftaddict555 said:

Good idea for vmception, but my system probably won't be able to handle that

I won't as long as i install it in VBOX (virtual-box where that would be used to install the vm and contain it)

Is virtualbox a good software to install vm's on? Any other free recommendations?

VMception !!! hahahah good one

[Windows7ge]

1 minute ago, Drak01112 said:

You could do that, it's just that it would be slower.

I would imagine so but I don't think the OP is looking to use this as a day to day thing. Seems like a once in a while testing device so I think it'd be fine for the application.

[smokefest]

9 minutes ago, Theminecraftaddict555 said:

Wait you can install a linux OS (Mint for example) inside a thumbdrive and every time you insert that thumbdrive in, you are able to boot into the OS?

Yeah for sure. Linus doesn't require to install it to use it. When you boot into the linus installation process, you have 2 options : Install or Try

 

If you hit try you get into linus without instlaling and you have all functions working normally.

This is a good way to retrieve data, it happens often that windows cannot read a "dead" hard drive, but linux CAN. Ive retrieved hundreds of hard drive data like that at my job

[Windows7ge]

41 minutes ago, Theminecraftaddict555 said:

Good idea for vmception, but my system probably won't be able to handle that

Something worth mentioning. Oracle VM VirtualBox will not let you install a VM inside a VM. I don't know how it knows it's inside a VM but it does so VMception will not occur with that software.

 

Theirs VM software known as VMware which might allow VMception but last I checked it's not free.