Official tool to detect if a Win O/S is running within VMWare?

[Horinius]

I know there are a lot of source codes and executables on the web to detect if a Windows O/S is running within a virtual machine, eg the famous red pill/blue pill programme.

But is there an official programme/tool made by VMWare? Because those found on the web look really like hacker's tools, and people are reluctant to run such programme if its origin is not clear.

[Troy_Clavell]

see this thread, it may be useful

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/204373

[Horinius]

I had known them more or less, and they're copied from the web, but none of them is official.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

There is nothing official that I know about.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky VMware Communities User Moderator, VMware vExpert 2009, Virtualization Practice Analyst[/url]
Now Available: 'VMware vSphere(TM) and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing the Virtual Environment'[/url]
Also available 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise'[/url]
[url=http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Blog_Roll]SearchVMware Pro[/url]|Blue Gears[/url]|Top Virtualization Security Links[/url]|Virtualization Security Round Table Podcast[/url]

[Horinius]

Yeah, that's what I thought, but I'd just like to ask the question to be absolutely sure.

OTOH, I noticed that when I tried to install VMWare Tools within Windows XP in a real PC, the setup refused to go on, saying that the O/S isn't in a VM. So visibly there's an "official" way of detecting VM.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

Not really, There is no official tool from VMware. All the install does is the same thing all the other 'tricks' do and that is look for the VMware Backdoor.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky VMware Communities User Moderator, VMware vExpert 2009, Virtualization Practice Analyst[/url]
Now Available: 'VMware vSphere(TM) and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing the Virtual Environment'[/url]
Also available 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise'[/url]
[url=http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Blog_Roll]SearchVMware Pro[/url]|Blue Gears[/url]|Top Virtualization Security Links[/url]|Virtualization Security Round Table Podcast[/url]

[admin]

There is no tool, but there is an official method. See KB 1009458.