virtualbox and viruses/malware

[Gatorade]

If I install virtualbox , and then install windows XP should I install anti-virus software as well?

what happens if windows gets infected with something, can I just delete windows to get rid of the virus ?

[Soul-Sing]

Yes you should install antivitus/antimalware progs on your windowsmachine

[Gatorade]

I'm just wondering about how it would affect Ubuntu, since virtualbox is running within Linux.

[Soul-Sing]

I'm just wondering about how it would affect Ubuntu, since virtualbox is running within Linux.

No it would not effect linux.

[underquark]

A virus on your virtual machine won't directly affect ubuntu but there is always the risk that you will get sloppy and end up copying a file with a virus and then sending it to someone else who is running Windows.

[shebaw]

Or maybe, you could try saving snapshots of your clean system and restore it from that if you suspect your pc is infected.

[Gatorade]

Or maybe, you could try saving snapshots of your clean system and restore it from that if you suspect your pc is infected.

how do you do that?

I don't have any problems right now , but it would be good to know for the future.

[shebaw]

how do you do that?

I don't have any problems right now , but it would be good to know for the future.

If you have already installed virtualbox and your machine is running then from the menu click on machine and then click on take a snap shot. It saves a snapshot of your system and whenever something goes wrong, you can restore it from there.

[Gatorade]

cool , thanks.

I've got virtualbox now, but I haven't loaded windows yet.

[Ijan]

A virus on your virtual machine won't directly affect ubuntu but there is always the risk that you will get sloppy and end up copying a file with a virus and then sending it to someone else who is running Windows.

+ if your Windows-VM has internet access and gets infected it may still fill up your LAN with spam traffic and subsequent replies though your Linux host is safe and it may try to use the network connection to infect other machines.

+ malware naturally tries does not reveal itself.

= if you consider doing anything that may involve the risk of getting your VM infected you should run anti-malware or block it's internet access for your own and other's sake.