XP1 on VMware Player in Win 7 - Security Questions

[chamlin]

SP1 on VMware Player in Win 7 - Security Questions

Kinda clueless about this.

XP Pro with SP1 is running in my VMware Player on my Win 7 Pro system. My Win 7 system is protected by Online Armor's firewall and Emsisoft's Anti-Malware AV.

I only use Quickbooks, Acrobat, and Pagemaker on the virtual machine, none of which are accessing the Internet. I don't use email or use a web browser on the XP vm.

1. Does my firewall protect the XP vm?
2. Do I need to update to SP3? And is that still even possible?

Thanks for the guidance,
Chamlin

 

[Britton30]

Your host security should protect the VM. I suspect you're 2 day too late to update to SP3, according to MS, April 8th was the last day for XP updates along with Office 2003.

 

[chamlin]

Great, regarding my host security. Don't really care about upping to sp3 unless it was truly a security issue. It would be one more thing to have to deal with anyway for from what I can tell, no important functionality (as I'm using XP).

 

[whs]

If you don't go on the internet with your virtual XP, then there is no need for any protection unless you attach e.g. a USB stick that carries malware. In that case, the host system cannot protect the XP.

Think of your virtual XP as an independent system. The host system provides certain services but it does no really look at what is coming from the virtual system or going to it. It just passes them thru. The virtual XP is just an application for the host system.

 

[Britton30]

XP SP3 did introduce the windows Security Center, if it's available.

 

[whs]

I suggest you make a copy of the XP's VMware Player folder (which is probably in Documents). That is like an image but easier. Then if anything happens you just delete the current folder from Documents and roll in the backup. You have to reattach to the vmx, but you probably know the routine.

I run 6 VMware virtual systems and they are all backed up like this. I make new backups whenever major things have changed in those systems. No need to redo e.g. updates or new program installations - my virtual systems are Windows 8.1 and a collection of Linux distros.

 

[andrew129260]

XP SP3 did introduce the windows Security Center, if it's available.

Actually, that is wrong. Service pack 2 did.


You can still download service pack 3 for XP, I would (even if not going on the internet) here:

Download Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers from Official Microsoft Download Center

Yes, its fine for a home computer. And it works just fine.

 

[jimbo45]

Your host security should protect the VM. I suspect you're 2 day too late to update to SP3, according to MS, April 8th was the last day for XP updates along with Office 2003.

Hi there
All the updates up to cut off date ARE and STILL WILL be available on the site for the foreseeable future.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Britton30]

Your host security should protect the VM. I suspect you're 2 day too late to update to SP3, according to MS, April 8th was the last day for XP updates along with Office 2003.

Hi there
All the updates up to cut off date ARE and STILL WILL be available on the site for the foreseeable future.

Cheers
jimbo

Hi there as well,
Thanks for the info, very helpful. I have an XP laptop I should update.