Solved Installing XP on a VM?

[shadow2201]

Noob to how VM's work and what not, but if I were to install Windows XP on a VM, am I still subject to security flaws that come along with having XP since there are no longer patches released by Microsoft for XP?

 

[whs]

Theoretically no - because the internet traffic is controlled by the host system.

 

[LMiller7]

Yes, the XP installation would be at risk. Security software running on the host would provide very little security. XP running on a virtual machine would provide a level of protection to the host but with malicious software nothing is certain.

 

[shadow2201]

Yes, the XP installation would be at risk. Security software running on the host would provide very little security. XP running on a virtual machine would provide a level of protection to the host but with malicious software nothing is certain.

So I'd be "somewhat safer" having it on a VM, but it being on a VM doesn't provide me with total protection? I wasn't sure if the VM was separate enough from the system that if the VM got infected, the main system would be ok, or if the main system would have to get infected for the VM to get infected, or how exactly it works.

I apologize, again I'm new to VM's and I don't want to go in uneducated.

 

[LMiller7]

If the host is sharing anything with the VM, such as in a network connection, that would provide an entry for malware. I don't know if there are any cases of malware in a VM directly infecting a host but I am sure that malware authors are investigating the possibility. Malware in all it's forms has become very sophisticated in recent years.

Security is always relative. There is no such thing as total protection.

 

[whs]

Best protection is scouting the internet with a Linux distro.

 

[LMiller7]

Yes, if possible it would be best to avoid Internet access with the XP VM. That would be the biggest thing you could do to improve it's security. If you must a good AV product would be needed. Microsoft Security Essentials can no longer be installed on XP.