VM XP on Windows 7 Pro 64

[Parvardigar]

Hello

The company management has concerns that when Microsoft no longer supports XP we will be extremely vulnerable. We use Windows 7 exclusively in our domain environment using Microsoft Office and Navision Attain - and all Internet usage takes place only on Windows 7 that is protected with routers, firewalls, Webroot Antivirus.

Management would need an assurance other then this writer's. We have legacy applications that only run on XP 32 bit systems. As long as no one accesses the Internet on the VM XP computers we will have absolutely no issues. Let me know if I am being too simplistic in this evaluation of a safe and secure VM XP computer.

Thanks

 

[UsernameIssues]

You can never be sure that the VMs are clean. The same is true for the W7 hosts. It does not matter what antivirus app that you use - stuff gets thru from time to time.

The VM can be frozen in time. The VM's Operating System reverts to a its previous/frozen state when the VM exits. But you can never know for sure if that state is free from infections :-(


Each connection option that the VM has is a path for infection.

If you allow USB devices that are connected to the host computer to also be seen/used by the VM, then the VM can be infected when a user charges their infected phone or camera via the host computer. If the infected VM is connected to the company's network, then the infection can spread to other XP VMs.

If you allow the host's optical drives (CD/DVD) to also be seen/used by the VM, then the VM can be infected via that media.

The internet is not the only infection vector.


That said - you should do what you can to prevent infections to the VMs and just live with the risks. Some legacy software cannot be replaced for a reasonable cost.