How Virtualization Can Improve Security
Virtualization, in simple terms, is the use of software to provide a layer of abstraction over the actual hardware that has been installed.
It turns out to be a fairly cost-effective method for any company to run multiple virtual computers, programs, or operating systems on a
single physical server. Virtualization works by dividing a single physical server into several virtual servers. In today's computing systems,
security has become a critical factor. Performance and usability of any system is dependent on its security. Virtualization is one of the
most effective strategies to boost protection against various threats or attacks.
In this article, we will discuss how virtualization technology improve security by addressing security issues and challenges in novel ways.
The Main Concern: Security
Security is the most important concern of an organization when it comes to its enterprise systems. Every business understands that security
is being scrutinized when it comes to IT infrastructure. Security, on the other hand, should be an integral part of the entire process.
Virtualization takes care of security requirements well, as long as the proper configuration is in place, and has eliminated many of the
difficulties that were typical in the physical environment.
Let us look at the five major ways that visualization can help to enhance the security of enterprise system infrastructure.
Containerization
Virtualization is a heavyweight option, whereas containerization is a lighter alternative. Encapsulating an application in a container with
its own operating environment is what this is all about. Containers use the host OS rather than installing an operating system for each
virtual machine. Applications are protected from each other in terms of security since they cannot see each other. Docker is one of the
most popular containerization technologies.
Sandboxing
In virtualization, the sandboxing method is a popular and commonly utilized feature. This is a security technique that separates running
programs from unknown parties, distributors, or websites. It is mostly used to execute untested applications or code from unknown parties,
distributors, or websites.
Sandboxing is a technique for isolating a program to protect it from external malware, viruses, and other threats. Isolating the system in
this manner protects it against untested code or applications. Virtualization is just a larger-scale deployment of this sandbox technology.
There is no need to disclose sensitive data and information because this technology allows for system sharing and is adaptable.
There are two possible contexts for the sandbox. One is at the operating system level, where the operating system provides the environment
for the programs to execute in and they are unable to interact with other applications. Sandboxing, on the other hand, is a technique for
running the application and analyzing security concerns without affecting the production network.
Server Virtualization
This strategy may be used to conceal server resources while also assisting in resource optimization. The administrator divides the underlying
physical server into numerous separate virtual blocks, each with its own virtual environment. These virtual servers can start and stop
independently, but their fundamental benefit is that they provide an abstraction layer between the operating system and the virtualized
hardware. As a result, a virtual server may be used to isolate a hacked application.
Network Virtualization
This method combines software and hardware network resources to create a single virtual network. Network virtualization is used with virtual
networks to construct logical virtual networks using the underlying networking hardware.
The two primary building elements of network virtualization are isolation and segmentation.
- Isolation enables the creation of several isolated virtual networks that are known to deliver end-to-end cloud services. Infrastructure providers supply network resources, allowing virtual networks to share numerous services.
- Network segmentation separates the network into subnets to reduce traffic traversal and boost performance. It's also incredibly secure because the internal network structure is hidden from view from the outside.
