Virtual Environments Demand Real Security

A recent survey by Symantec has revealed that 73 percent of Indian respondent-enterprises plan to virtualise database applications in the next 12 months. With the rapid evolution of IT, there is little doubt that the future datacentres will include virtualisation.

The potential advantages offered by virtualisation technology are impressive, ranging from CAPEX and OPEX savings, to improved endpoint deployment speed, to greater overall IT speed and agility. However, there are some risks involved as well which make enterprises think twice about adopting virtualisation or widely deploy it. One of the biggest concerns is the security of corporate data and systems. With more and more employees turning to mobile devices in their work, analysts and experts point out that security policies need to become independent of the network architecture.

But all said and done, enterprises remain optimistic about virtualisation as they see the benefits far outweighing the risks.

While virtualisation deals with non-physical tools such as on-demand provisioning, the security threats are all too real, as hackers are always on the lookout for security loopholes in any new technology. Symantec observed a record 286 million new, distinct threats in 2010, and an increase in targeted attacks that exploit one or many vulnerabilities. In order to keep corporate information safe in the virtual environment, enterprises will need to take an integrated approach. Consider the following best practices in successfully implementing virtualisation in an enterprise:

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Group applications by configuration: On physical machines, one server might host any number of different applications, each with its own configuration. This creates a challenge for policy management. The advantage offered by a virtual infrastructure is the ability to dynamically group these applications to more easily apply security policies.

Utilise reputation-based security: Traditional security solutions perform frequent file-by-file checks, can be resource-intensive and ineffective at guarding against new threats. Reputation-based security, however, draws on anonymous usage data from millions of users worldwide to determine suspect files. As fewer files need to be scanned less frequently, it minimises resource usage on the machine.

Implement central management for virtual machines: Managing traditional endpoints can be time-consuming and prone to security risks. A delay in patch management, or a lag in updating security setting on different machines, can be the difference between a secure infrastructure and a data breach. Take advantage of the benefits of virtualised endpoint management by implementing security practices and policies system-wide, to maximise protection of corporate data.

Group machines to control user access: A host-based approach allows enterprises to separate groups of virtual machines to shield various system components, such as file systems, applications and registry keys. This allows an enterprise to more easily restrict access to privileged networks, and determine access level for all users, including administrators.

Monitor the network: One of the greatest advantages, and sometimes a great challenge, of virtualisation is network monitoring. The ability of an enterprise to centrally manage the system creates the potential for simplified monitoring of the system. Enterprises should carefully consider the available solutions from vendors, and select the one that best meets the needs of the cloud configuration.

Solutions should offer the following features:

• Automated control assessment functions, to optimise compliance with regulatory standards such as PCI and HIPAA

• Flexible policy-based controls, to monitor for changes against established configurations

• Consolidation of log monitoring and aggregate events, to detect changes to system resources

• Adherence to VMware hardening guidelines, and automated system response, to monitor multiple files from multiples operating systems simultaneously.

Don’t Forget The Basics

In addition to the security guidelines that apply specifically to virtualised systems, adhering to well-established general security procedures will also improve the level of security in your datacentre.

Establish two-factor authentication: Traditional, single-password systems do not provide sufficient security against today’s sophisticated attacks. Two-factor authentication is necessary to provide adequate security.

Utilise encryption: Data encryption provides additional peace of mind in a virtualised system. It provides protection from outside threats, as well as inside risks such as loss of portable devices containing corporate information.

Maintain traditional endpoint security: Even in a world of virtualised services, desktop/endpoint virtualisation should not be overlooked. Maintain your policies of a multi-faceted endpoint security through utilisation of firewalls, antivirus and patching policies. In fact, Gartner predicts that within four years more than one-third of security solutions will be on virtualised systems.

In Conclusion

As you look to take advantage of the vast potential of virtualisation, creating a comprehensive security plan is vital. This can seem a daunting task, but, in principle, it remains similar to protecting a traditional datacentre - where you are really protecting the information, rather than the hardware itself.

As enterprises have been doing over the years, working to implement multi-tiered security solutions will minimise the risk of data loss from internal or external sources.

An ideal strategy will begin by implementing central management of the virtualised systems, allowing enterprises to group applications and virtual machines according to configurations and privileges. Apply security software that will provide the most efficient protection, and select the right vendor for virtualisation solutions. Finally, adhere to established security practices as an additional layer of protection. By taking an active approach to security when implementing virtualisation, businesses can take full advantage of the benefits while keeping risks to a minimum.

The author is Director – Technology Sales (India and SAARC), Symantec.