VM Fusion Windows & Malware

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While running Mavericks on my early 2009 iMac,... During a Windows session on VMware Fusion, is it possible to get infected with malware if I do not open a browser? (I 'm hoping to avoid installing an AV Program, as they degrade performance.)
 
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chscag

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You can contract a Windows virus through email and even attachments, not just from getting on the internet. I strongly advise you to install an AV product. Get on line and browse AV product reviews to see which ones are less intrusive. However, any good Windows AV program should be able to scan files on the fly. The Microsoft free MSE while not the greatest at finding viruses, is one of the least intrusive AV programs.
 

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One thing I've done with my VMs running Windows is to create a snapshot after installation or at key points. That way, should the VM get infected or somehow messed up, I can always go back to the snapshot and keep going.

If you are using this VM for active work with changing files as opposed to a test bed with known set of software, this approach doesn't work as well. In those situations you'll want to run some anti-virus software unless re-installing is a possible option for you..
 

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Great idea. Given how little I use Windows I could go long periods without having to create new snapshots.
 
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Thanks all for the response. Just to be sure I'm not misunderstood...
I will never access the internet on a Windows session. No internet, no email, no attachments. Am I safe without an AV? Only using the VM/Windows session to run an old version of Photoshop.
 

chscag

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In that case, you should be safe.
 
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As chscag said, you'll be fine: I have a very similar function for my VirtualBox Windows-XP VM: I need to run CorelDRAW X3 as I have a huge collection of files, created over two decades in CorelDRAW ... Old versions of Photoshop and Acrobat Pro (which got some features Adobe dropped, from subsequent versions) are also on that VM, but I hardly ever use them.

My Windows VM is setup with no internet access and no network access, apart from one shared folder. No need for any antivirus software. Has been running this VM for about eight years now, first in Linux, then when I moved to Mac - in OS X. Never had a single problem with it. I do use snapshots fairly regularly, but not because I am concerned with malware.
 
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Thanks for the reply. I'm v pleased to have the no av stand confirmed. Can you expand on how to make snapshots and their usage.
 

chscag

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Can you expand on how to make snapshots and their usage.

The "snapshot" option is built into VMWare Fusion. You use it to take a snapshot of your virtual machine in its current state. Then later on if something should go wrong, you can revert back to the "snapshot" you took when everything was OK. Very handy feature.
 

Raz0rEdge

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Thanks all for the response. Just to be sure I'm not misunderstood...
I will never access the internet on a Windows session. No internet, no email, no attachments. Am I safe without an AV? Only using the VM/Windows session to run an old version of Photoshop.

In this case, when you create your VM, ensure that you do NOT add a network interface at all..
 
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In this case, when you create your VM, ensure that you do NOT add a network interface at all..

This is very important, as YOU might not go online, but that doesn't mean various bits and pieces of software running on your Windows system won't. You have to actively deny them the possibility, then you can forget about antivirus :)

This is VirtualBox, but I expect VM Fusion would have similar settings / options:

ScreenShot2014-08-12at141410_zpsf36dc779.png~original
 
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Totally understood. I have a snapshot of the clean VM install; and will not be networking during the virtual sessions. Thanks all for the response.
 

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