Virtual PC May Be Vulnerable to Virus Attacks

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SUMMARY

This article discusses some of the ways that Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac may be vulnerable to virus attacks.

When you run a virtual machine in Virtual PC for Mac, the operating system that is installed on the virtual machine may be vulnerable to attacks by Windows-based viruses if the virtual machine is configured to connect to the Internet directly through Virtual Switch networking. In Virtual Switch networking mode, the Windows operating system directly connects to the Internet. As a result, it may be vulnerable to attacks from Windows-based viruses and other malicious programs.

If the Windows operating system is connecting to the Internet by using Shared Networking, it is in fact connecting through the Macintosh operating system and the Macintosh networking connections. This type of connection can help protect your operating system from network-based virus attacks.

However, your computer may still be vulnerable to virus attacks through e-mail messages. Microsoft recommends that you use an antivirus program to scan all your incoming e-mail messages.

For more information about viruses and what you can do to help protect Windows from them, visit the following Microsoft Web sites:

http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/ (http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/)

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/default.mspx (http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/default.mspx)