Data Encryption of Virtual Machines in VirtualBox

Data Encryption of Virtual Machines in VirtualBox

In this chapter, we will discuss encryption of the created virtual machine. If we conduct a forensic analysis of the .vdi file of the virtual machine we created earlier, we can gain full access to all files of the virtual system without launching the OS and, consequently, without activating the user-implemented protection mechanisms.

It is worth noting that the virtual system has two modes: live mode, where installation does not occur and the virtual system uses RAM resources without saving anything after shutdown, and full mode with installation on a virtual hard disk, where the system will save all your files and operate as a full-fledged equivalent of your main operating system.

To protect the files of the installed virtual operating system, it is necessary to encrypt the virtual disk. Some systems, such as Linux Mint, already have full disk encryption at the software level, while other virtual systems can be encrypted using the built-in tool of VirtualBox.

To encrypt using the built-in tool of VirtualBox, you need to install the Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack, which can be downloaded from the official website.

Link https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

This software product is a free cross-platform extension pack for the VirtualBox virtualization system. It is installed within the VirtualBox program by double-clicking on the extension pack file.

Detailed installation process:

• Launch VirtualBox.
• Double-click on the downloaded extension pack (sometimes you need to specify that this file should be opened specifically with the VirtualBox program).