Security issue?

**conradin** · December 12th, 2012

Hi all,
I was just working on a windows 98 VirtualBox VDI, when I went off to take lunch. I cam back, and started working on it a half hour later.
I was having keyboard issues and some I/O problems. So I closed the VM and was thrown back to the login screen that I should have gotten when I returned from lunch. Instead of locking my screen, like I would have hoped, as a function of the screen-saver, the VM remained open and active, even when the host OS was in a "locked" Mode.

Maybe stuff like that is common, I thought it was odd, and just wanted to make note of it here.

**grahams** · December 22nd, 2012

I've seen the same issue with other hypervisors and also with rdp sessions. To be secure, click back into your linux desktop and make sure your screen is locked.

**Paddy Landau** · December 24th, 2012

Interesting. I haven't had that problem. What distro and version is your host OS, is it 32-bit or 64-bit, which version is your VirtualBox, and did you install the Oracle Guest Additions into your guest?

**nishant1234** · December 24th, 2012

linux is one of the secure plateforms of the world.. don't worry???

**Paddy Landau** · December 24th, 2012

Originally Posted by nishant1234

linux is one of the secure plateforms of the world.. don't worry???

I think you missed the OP's point. He was away from his desk, and the screen-lock should have kicked in to prevent others in the area from getting onto his computer. This is a security issue.

Incidentally, you can press Ctrl+Alt+L to immediately lock your screen without waiting for the automated screen-lock.

**grahams** · January 2nd, 2013

Originally Posted by Paddy Landau

I think you missed the OP's point. He was away from his desk, and the screen-lock should have kicked in to prevent others in the area from getting onto his computer. This is a security issue.

Incidentally, you can press Ctrl+Alt+L to immediately lock your screen without waiting for the automated screen-lock.

When your keyboard & mouse are captured by Virtualbox or RDP etc. a Ctrl+Alt+L will not lock your X screen as the Ctrl+Alt+L was sent to your VM (or RDP session) not your desktop. You need to click outside of the Virtualbox window then lock your screen.

**conradin** · January 3rd, 2013

Originally Posted by Paddy Landau

Interesting. I haven't had that problem. What distro and version is your host OS, is it 32-bit or 64-bit, which version is your VirtualBox, and did you install the Oracle Guest Additions into your guest?

No guest addons available for windows 98 guest, the host is Ubuntu 10.04, kernel 2.6.32.45-generic.

anyhow, I was disturbed because I was locked out, and not locked out. I would figure that host OS lock out would trump guest OS any behaviour, but that wasnt the case. Maybe i should pass a note on to oracle.