Virtualization
Definition
Virtualization entails creating a virtual instance of a storage device, an operating system,
network resources or a server, and running them on a single physical computer simultaneously
(Tiwari et al., 2020). A virtualization ecosystem consists of three core elements: a Virtual
Machine Manager (VMM) or hypervisor, Virtual Machines (VMs) and management tools. The
fundamental goal of virtualization is enabling users to maximize the utilization of Information
Technology resources like processors, networks, and storage, enhancing efficiency and reducing
operational costs (Pujari et al., 2021). Cvetkovski (2021) acknowledges that visualization offers
numerous possibilities besides the conventional in-hardware operations, including infrastructure
consolidation and easier software installation. Several virtualization techniques exist, including
operating system-level virtualization, paravirtualization and emulation. Each technique allows IT
teams to create a virtual environment where multiple computer systems run concurrently.
The Need for Virtualization
Virtualization has become a vital technology following the unprecedented financial
constraints and an augmenting threat of cyber-attacks that have hit the corporate world in the
past two decades. Lambropoulos et al. (2021) affirms that the economic situation compels IT
departments to explore new technologies to reduce capital and operational costs while providing
new value-based services. The conventional computer systems cannot meet the current needs
because of their inherent limitations. For example, Lambropoulos et al. (2021) documents that a
single physical server offers few services resulting in the underutilization of IT resources. An
organization can achieve up to 31 percent cost savings through virtualization, by consolidating
numerous tasks on fewer hosts (Lambropoulos et al. (2021). Besides, firms can enhance their
operational efficiency using virtualization technologies, since they provide the abstraction
needed to ensure that business services are not directly connected to the principal hardware
infrastructure. Accordingly, organizations must consider deploying virtualized systems to
improve their efficiency and cut down operational costs.
Virtualization Technologies
OS-level virtualization employs three fundamental technologies: Virtual private servers
(v-server) and Containers LXC& Docker.
a)
Virtual private servers (v-server)
It is a Linux software for developing several virtual private servers running
simultaneously on a single physical hardware. Alawadh et al. (2021) indicates that each virtual
server function as Linux Operating system with full functional capabilities of a Linux server. The
v-server uses several tools including segmented routing to realize its isolation Alawadh et al.
(2021).
b)
Containers LXC (LXC)
They are container instances that enable users to develop virtual ecosystems with the
needed dependencies to run numerous services or applications (Alawadh et al., 2021). Alawadh
et al. (2021) affirms that the containers block single processes from utilizing all system
resources.
Virtualization Alternatives
Containerization emerges as a significant alternative to virtualization. It entails
encapsulating applications and their associated files into containers that can run on a single OS.
Accordingly, it supports several isolated services on a single machine within containers instead
of the whole virtual machine. The containers operate independently, preventing unwanted
interactions between software elements, increasing efficiency and minimizing security risks.
Virtualization Security Risks and Countermeasures
Virtualization creates new information security risks that IT teams and organizations
must consider when deploying them. Sierra-arriaga et al. (2020) affirms that software bugs can
affect the Virtual Machine Monitor which a vital component in almost all virtual systems,
leading to security vulnerabilities. Besides, new malware forms targeting virtual systems have
emerged. Sierra-arriaga et al. (2020) affirms that antivirus and other conventional security
interventions cannon suppress the malware, because they operate with a higher privilege level
than the OS. Virtual systems are also prone to attacks that may compromise an entire network,
impeding service delivery (Sierra-arriaga et al. (2020). They include the speculative execution
attacks, control channel attacks and replay attacks. Introducing virtualization also weakens the
conventional security strategies used for standalone systems, requiring IT teams to implement
other methods that can counter the security cyber threats.
Countermeasures
Cyber security experts have developed numerous strategies that organizations and IT
departments can employ to secure their virtual systems. Virtual Machine Introspection (VMI) is
a crucial strategy for detecting malware in virtual systems. It entails using the Virtual Machine
Manager to assess a Virtual Machine’s state from outside, detecting any malware that may have
compromised the system. Privilege separation is another vital approach for securing virtual
systems. It involves dividing an application into unprivileged and privileged sections to
minimize the high privilege codes being executed at any given time. IT teams can also deploy
virtualization-based security technologies such as the Virtual Secure Mode (VSM) to address the
vulnerabilities presented by virtualization.
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Lambropoulos, G., Mitropoulos, S & Douligeris, C. (2021). Improving business performance by
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