Server virtualization software enables organizations to deliver more capabilities on a budget. But this comes at the cost of security. Virtual servers are one of the prime targets of ransomware attacks. In the past week, ransomware called ESXiArgs has been attacking a server virtualization product VMWare ESXi.

With the increasing dangers of new ransomware, stakeholders have one important question in mind. How can organizations run their server virtualization securely without overspending on security software?

Server virtualization software partitions servers into scalable virtual private servers

Since multiple applications and systems are running on one machine, if this machine is breached, it will apply to all systems. Due to this vulnerability, ransomware target virtual servers since they all run on the same virtualization platforms.

The most recent ransomware, ESXiArgs, exploited organizations that had not installed a 2021 VMware patch. The attacked virtual servers were also accessible to WAN and other public connections without a VPN, making them much more vulnerable. Unpatched systems since 2021 and unsafe access practices are the root causes of these vulnerabilities. What measures can IT teams take to prevent common attacks on virtualized servers?

Navigating the risks of using virtual servers

To safeguard virtual servers, IT teams must invest in the following:

• Server isolation: Traditional server setups have operating systems running on different machines. On the other hand, virtualization uses logical isolation to separate different operating systems and applications on the same machine. Since physical cables don’t separate them, hypervisors and network management software control the server configuration. The system administrator must be familiar with setting up and running hypervisors to ensure that each instance of the VM is isolated, so there is no leakage of sensitive data.
• Patch management: The lack of patch management software makes traditional organizations susceptible since some are not technology focused and don’t have strict IT practices. The hole created by VMware ESXi has been patched since February 2021, but thousands of servers are still exposed and vulnerable. Two years of mismanagement revealed that many traditional organizations, including courts and universities, are slacking on updating their servers. The ideal solution is to ensure hosts operate on the latest firmware and that all applications are regularly updated. All network elements, such as routers and switches, must be up to date. Operating systems also need to be automatically updated and rebooted in the off-hours.
• Security risk analysis: Security risk analysis software is an excellent way to oversee the holes in the IT stack, including virtual server management. It assesses software flaws, missing patches, malware, and misconfigurations on all operating systems, servers, applications, and even endpoint devices. This will allow IT managers to quickly understand the whole infrastructure so they don’t miss misconfiguration by others.
• Separation of duties: Another cause of VMware ESXi vulnerabilities is that the servers are accessible to the public internet. Some system administrators like the ease of access to manage these servers from outside of the organization and want to avoid the hassle of using a VPN for access. While this is a problem of employee training and management, there is also a need to separate IT duties and privilege management. Since servers and networks are now inseparable from each other in a virtual environment, companies must define identity and access policies for network admins, server admins, and security admins. This will prevent specific roles from getting excessive authority to misconfigure the whole operation.

Understanding the intricacies of security enhancements in server virtualization is crucial. However, server virtualization software also generally have built-in security. With the help of G2 data, we can find the highest-rated products by security features.

Products under G2's Server Visualization Software category ranked based on security features

For companies looking for the most secure server virtualization software, G2 can help. G2 aggregates and analyzes all security reviews for each software. Azure Virtual Machines is ranked first by software security feature reviews, followed by Oracle VM, VMware vSphere Hypervisor, Nvidia Virtual GPU, and Proxmox VE.

G2 also publishes Grid® Reports for top-reviewed vendors for software buyers to check their peer’s recommendations.

Server virtualization security is setting the right policies, practices, and tools

Organizations must stay on top of server and network management, scheduled updates, constant monitoring, and purchase the right tools for the job. Since server virtualization is riskier than traditional servers separated by physical hardware and cables, IT managers should focus on security management to avoid ransomware and other malicious attacks. It's always better to focus on prevention than damage control.

Edited by Jigmee Bhutia