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Kaspersky's Security for Virtualization pushed to XenServer and HyperV

Platform looks to slim down security protections in virtual instances

Kaspersky is extending its Security for Virtualuzation Light Agent security tool to the Citrix XenServer and Microsoft HyperV platforms.

The company said that the Light Agent tool will launch on April 22 with XenServer and HyperV support as well as new options for VMware's vSphere hypervisor.

The company will continue to support its Agentless security tool for VMware, offering both products under a single Security for Virtualization license. Customers will be able to purchase the license on either per-machine or per–server CPU core pricing options.

Designed to function as a virtual appliance, the tool is able to manage basic security protections such as antimalware and firewall policies above the virtual machine level. In doing so, the appliance eliminates the need for a traditional client package to run on each VM.

By adopting the virtual appliance approach, Kaspersky says the Light Agent can reduce bandwidth and resource usage which would otherwise be needed when each VM manages its own security operations and obtains updates.

With the Light Agent release, the company is also looking to add application and device whitelisting control options, as well as the ability to support web usage policies and intrusion prevention tools.

"By applying this Light Agent architecture we are able to offer nearly all of the deep multilayer security for virtualization that we offer for traditional endpoints," said Kaspersky Lab senior product marketing director Peter Beardmore.

"We are now offering much more effective and traditional protections for architectures tht biz are interested in expanding to."

As of now, it appears that Kaspersky is content to keep the Light Agent as a tool for locking down VM instances rather than potential attacks on the server or hypervisor level.

Kurt Baumgartner, head of Kaspersky Lab's global research and analysis team, told El Reg that while researchers have seen some proof-of-concept work targeting hypervisors, endpoint security remains all the rage in the wild.

"It seems that attackers continue to go after the lowest hanging fruit," he said, "and as of right now that is not the hypervisor." ®

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