Chapter 1. Introducing Hyper-V Security

One of the most difficult tribulations in the entire realm of computing is security. Computers are tools, and just like any tool, they are designed to be used. Unfortunately, not every usage is proper, and not every computer should be accessed by just anyone. A computer really has no way to classify proper usage against improper usage, or differentiate between a valid user and an unauthorized user any more than a hammer would. The act of securing them is quite literally an endeavor to turn them against their purpose.

Hyper-V adds new dimensions to the security problem. Virtual machines have protection options that mirror their physical counterparts, but present unique challenges. The hypervisor presents challenges of its own, both in its role as the host for those virtual machines and through the management operating system that manifests it.

In this chapter, we'll cover:

• The importance of Hyper-V security
• Basic security concerns
• A starting point to security
• The terminology of Hyper-V
• Acquiring Hyper-V