Dealing With Virtualization Security Risks

written by: LuminIT 04/01/2016

Though it plays a critical role in the world of security, virtualization security never gets the attention it deserves. A look at forums and blog posts reveal that more focus is given to topics such as networking and cloud. Nonetheless, just because it is not commonly mentioned, it doesn’t mean virtualized infrastructure and machines have a lesser role. In fact, overlooking this issue will put your business at risk as it will be prone to cyber attack, hacking, as well as access by unscrupulous individuals.

What Are The Dangers Of Inadequate Virtualization Security?

Complex Infrastructure

The goal of virtualization security is to improve access and business security. However, insufficient virtualization security leads to a complex infrastructure. This occurs when adding extra layers to the existing networks creates a more sophisticated infrastructure which makes it challenging to detect and correct any abnormalities. Rather than improving the business, it will make it difficult to spot problems, and when you do, unauthorized users such as hackers will have already infiltrated the system.

Hard to Manage

The traditional form of security is static by nature and entails adding physical equipment. However, Virtualized security is quite dynamic and keeps changing over time so as to accommodate new technology. In fact, the changes may take place unnoticed due to its invisible nature or it occurring within minutes. If inadequate virtualization security is adopted, it means the environment will be more static than dynamic. In addition to creating loopholes and bottlenecks, managing the environment also becomes involved.

Moving Workloads Becomes a Challenge

Virtualized security infrastructure will grow over time as the business expands and adds new security solutions. The process will entail moving workloads from one point to another with the aim being to make the transition quick and seamless. But, if the infrastructure is lacking, moving the workload takes more time and effort. It may also involve installing different security levels, or moving several workloads over multiple machines. This may create a security loophole due to reduced level of safety.

The above risks can cause great problems to any business; however, they can be avoided by adopting the right process. Areas that need full attention include the following:
– Organization: The entire process should be well-organized during designing, testing, implementation, and production.
– Audit: It’s vital to frequently run checks on the system to make sure it is working as desired. A better approach is automating the audit process by using tools that monitor the balances and processes.
– Patches: To ensure the virtualization security is up-to-date, it’s vital to regularly create schedules and undertake security patch/fix maintenance.
– Overflow Management: Tracking and managing several virtual machines is a daunting task. However, you can make life easier by consolidating the multiple machines and adopting a system that manages them accordingly.
– Full Control: It pays to designate a specialist to oversee the system as this prevents any loopholes, bottlenecks, or cracks. The person responsible should be well-versed and experienced in this field.

Security is always a major concern for many businesses and has seen many being hacked into or under the mercy of cyber attacks/crimes. The best solution is embracing quality and efficient virtualization security solutions. Talk to LuminIT today for a stress-free experience.