Virtualization in cloud computing

What is Virtualization in cloud computing?

Virtualization in cloud computing is the term creating a virtual (a logical vs. a physical) version of something, including virtual computer hardware platforms, operating systems, storage devices, and computer network resources.

Computer hardware virtualization is a way of improving overall efficiency.

It involves CPUs that provide support for virtualization in hardware and other hardware components that help improve the performance of a guest environment.

Virtualization in cloud computing: We have discussed the importance of virtualization throughout the blog. In this section,

We’ll discuss the risks related to the use of virtualization in the cloud.

Many of these possibilities require attenuation through the use of controls that can only be implemented by the cloud provider,

So the cloud customer must rely on contractual provisions for implementation and enforcement.

What are the Attacks use on Hypervisor?

Because of the ubiquitous use of virtualization in the cloud environment.

Hardware devices will have to be configured properly to ensure the secure implementation of hypervisors, virtual machines, and virtual OSs.

To ensure the provider’s ability to monitor the virtual environment for both performance and security issues, and to enforce configuration policy.

This is particularly important for creating and maintaining a secure hypervisor configuration a weak hypervisor could allow malicious actors to access and attack many of the virtual assets and a great deal of the production data.

Instead of attacking a virtualized instance, which might only result in successfully breaching the content of one (virtualized) workstation.

Malicious actors might attempt to penetrate the hypervisor, which is the system that acts as the interface and controller between the virtualized instances and the resources of the given host devices on which they reside.

There are two types of hypervisors, known as Type 1 and Type 2.

Type 1 is also called a baremetal or hardware hypervisor. It resides directly on the host machine, often as bootable software.

Type 2 is a software hypervisor, and it runs on top of the OS that runs on a host device.

Attackers prefer Type 2 hypervisors because of the larger surface area.

They can attack the hypervisor itself, the underlying OS, and the machine directly, whereas Type 1 attacks are restricted to the hypervisor and the machine.

OSs are also more complex than hypervisors, creating the increased potential for included vulnerabilities.

What is Guest Escape in cloud computing?

An improperly designed or poorly configured virtualized machine or hypervisor might allow for a user to leave the confines of their own virtualized instance.

This is referred to as guest escape or virtual machine (VM) escape.

A user who has successfully performed guest escape might be able to access other virtualized instances on the same host and view, copy, or modify data stored there.

Worse, the user might be able to access the host itself and therefore be able to affect all the instances on the machine.

And the worst potential situation is known as host escape, where a user can not only leave their own virtualized instance but can even leave the host machine, accessing other devices on the network.

This may be unlikely, as it would only result from some rather egregious failures in hardware, software, policy, and personnel performance (or significant combinations thereof), but it is a risk and must be considered.

What is Information Bleed in cloud computing?

Information Bleed in cloud
Information Bleed in cloud

This is another risk stemming from malfunctions or failures.

The possibility exists that processing performed on one virtualized instance may be detected, in whole or in part, by other instances on the same host.

In order for this risk to be detrimental, the loss does not even have to be the raw data itself.

It might instead be only indicative of the processing occurring on the affected instance.

Virtualization in cloud computing, For example,

It might be possible to detect that a certain operation is happening on the affected instance and that the operation lasts for a specific duration.

This kind of process-specific information can tell a malicious actor about the types of security controls on the instance or what kind of operations are being conducted.

This can provide the attacker with an advantage because they might be able to narrow down a list of possible attack vectors to only those that will function in that circumstance.

They might gain an insight into what types of material might be acquired from a successful attack.

What is Data Seizure in cloud computing?

A legal activity might result in a host machine being confiscated.

Inspected by law enforcement or plaintiffs’ attorneys, and the host machine might include virtualized instances belonging to your organization, even though your organization was not the target.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top