Evaluating malware in a virtual machine using copy-on-write
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system, comprising:
- a processor configured to;
copy a respective first and second original virtual machine image to a RAM disk, wherein the respective first and second original virtual machine images correspond, respectively, to first and second base installations;
initialize, as respective first and second copy-on-write overlays, a first virtual machine instance for execution of a sample and a second virtual machine instance for execution of the sample, wherein the first and second virtual machine instances are respectively associated with the first and second original virtual machine images, wherein any changes to the first virtual machine will be captured in a first copy-on-write overlay file, and wherein any changes to the second virtual machine will be captured in a second copy-on-write overlay file;
start the respective first virtual machine instance and second virtual machine instances;
execute the sample inside the first virtual machine instance during a first evaluation period, and at a time occurring during the first evaluation period, execute the sample inside the second virtual machine instance;
determine, based at least in part on an analysis of the respective first copy-on-write overlay file and second copy-on-write overlay file, that the sample acts maliciously when executed in the first virtual machine instance, and that the sample does not act maliciously when executed in the second virtual machine instance; and
take a remedial action with respect to the sample; and
a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Evaluating a potentially malicious sample using a copy-on-write overlay is disclosed. A first virtual machine instance is initialized as a copy-on-write overlay associated with an original virtual machine image. The first virtual machine image is started and a first sample is executed. A second virtual machine instance is initialized as a copy-on-write overlay associated with a second original virtual machine image. The second virtual machine image is started and a second sample is executed. The first and second samples are executed at an overlapping time.
229 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A system, comprising:
-
a processor configured to; copy a respective first and second original virtual machine image to a RAM disk, wherein the respective first and second original virtual machine images correspond, respectively, to first and second base installations; initialize, as respective first and second copy-on-write overlays, a first virtual machine instance for execution of a sample and a second virtual machine instance for execution of the sample, wherein the first and second virtual machine instances are respectively associated with the first and second original virtual machine images, wherein any changes to the first virtual machine will be captured in a first copy-on-write overlay file, and wherein any changes to the second virtual machine will be captured in a second copy-on-write overlay file; start the respective first virtual machine instance and second virtual machine instances; execute the sample inside the first virtual machine instance during a first evaluation period, and at a time occurring during the first evaluation period, execute the sample inside the second virtual machine instance; determine, based at least in part on an analysis of the respective first copy-on-write overlay file and second copy-on-write overlay file, that the sample acts maliciously when executed in the first virtual machine instance, and that the sample does not act maliciously when executed in the second virtual machine instance; and take a remedial action with respect to the sample; and a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method, comprising:
-
copying a respective first and second original virtual machine image to a RAM disk, wherein the respective first and second original virtual machine images correspond, respectively, to first and second base installations; initializing, as respective first and second copy-on-write overlays, a first virtual machine instance for execution of a sample and a second virtual machine instance for execution of the sample, wherein the first and second virtual machine instances are respectively associated with the first and second original virtual machine images, wherein any changes to the first virtual machine will be captured in a first copy-on-write overlay file, and wherein any changes to the second virtual machine will be captured in a second copy-on-write overlay file; starting the respective first virtual machine instance and second virtual machine instances; executing the sample inside the first virtual machine instance during a first evaluation period, and at a time occurring during the first evaluation period, executing the sample inside the second virtual machine instance; determining, based at least in part on an analysis of the respective first copy-on-write overlay file and second copy-on-write overlay file, that the sample acts maliciously when executed in the first virtual machine instance, and that the sample does not act maliciously when executed in the second virtual machine instance; and taking a remedial action with respect to the sample. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
-
copying a first original virtual machine image to a RAM disk, wherein the first original virtual machine image corresponds to a base installation of a first operating system; initializing, as a first copy-on-write overlay, a first virtual machine instance for execution of a first sample, wherein the first virtual machine instance is associated with the first original virtual machine image, and wherein any changes to the first virtual machine will be captured in a first copy-on-write overlay file; starting the first virtual machine instance and execute the first sample inside the first virtual machine instance; initializing, as a second copy-on-write overlay, a second virtual machine instance for execution of a second sample, wherein the second virtual machine instance is associated with a second original virtual machine image, and wherein any changes to the second virtual machine will be captured in a second copy-on-write overlay file; and starting the second virtual machine instance and execute the second sample inside the second virtual machine instance.
-
Specification