Virtually Insecure
    		Gartner is warning IT that virtual servers are simply not  as secure as physical servers. Thank you, Captain Obvious! Of course a bunch of  VMs on a single server are not as easily protected as a single instance. Once you  crack one VM, or break into the hypervisor, it's easier to crack the rest. This  is Computer Science 101. 
That's why it so important to protect each VM to the  hilt.
Gartner, being smarter than me (or so they tell me),  takes a different tack. The whole problem is that IT doesn't take security  seriously when deploying VMs. That view is condescending but probably true.
Gartner's advice? Protect the hypervisor at all costs,  involve the security team (if you have one) in VM planning and don't give all VMs  the same access controls.
So why am I so dismissive of Gartner? Like me, they  are pretentious, but unlike me, they never ever make fun of themselves. A  loveable jerk they're not! And unlike Gartner, I try to admit all my mistakes  especially as you all keep me honest.
In all fairness, the Gartner author here, Neil MacDonald,  seems like a pretty bright guy. He probably is smarter than me! 
For more information, Gartner is more than happy to sell  you a $95 report.
Which research company do you trust and which do you  despise? Crunch the numbers and send your results to [email protected].
 
	Posted by Doug Barney on March 17, 2010