XP guest, MacOS host, securing single application

[jferguson]

I'm running Quicken within XP guest on Maverick in 4.3. Quicken needs to communicate with accounts at Schwab and probably with Intuit (Quicken developers) from time to time. Nothing else is required of this installation - no other application. Entire purpose of Virtualbox installation is to enable running Quicken on the Mac - no adequate Mac version of Quicken available. And no, I don't want to upgrade to Windows 7 or 8. I don't want to run bootcamp either - this is for a spouse who after 20 years with PC's is still afraid of them.

To secure this setup would it make sense to firewall the XP to limit use of system to the single application; Quicken and restrict outbound ip addresses to those used by Intuit and Charles Schwab? Is there some way to restrict inbound ip signals to those on a list using XP's firewall? Or should I try to limit ports? or is this crazy?

[jferguson]

Seems strange that I should be the only one to wonder about this. Is there any chance that I posted in the wrong section of this excellent site?

[loukingjr]

Maybe you have the impression that there are people who monitor the forums 24/7 to answer any and all questions. Sometimes it takes awhile to get an answer.

One thing though, this is not a "How do I set up a firewall in Windows XP" forum. To do what you want you need to ask in a Windows XP forum or a Microsoft forum or Networking forum, etc.

just my thoughts.

[BillG]

Maybe you have the impression that there are people who monitor the forums 24/7 to answer any and all questions. Sometimes it takes awhile to get an answer.

One thing though, this is not a "How do I set up a firewall in Windows XP" forum. To do what you want you need to ask in a Windows XP forum or a Microsoft forum or Networking forum, etc.

just my thoughts.

I couldn't agree more. VirtualBox only provides a method to create a virtual machine. What that machine does depends on the OS installed, and how the OS behaves should not vary between a physical and virtual machine, just as it should not vary between different physical platforms.

[jferguson]

Hi guys,

I get your points. I had imagined that one reason for installing virtualbox was to run a particular application in a system which otherwise didn't support it. In other words, I supposed many virtualbox installations were there not to make a guest system environment available for general use but to run a single application.

I've set my XP guest up in Mac OS on my spouse's Air with a little script to start it, load Quicken and run. There is even the little Quicken icon for her to choose. As I suggested, I couldn't believe that I was the only one ever to want to do something like this.

I supposed that few if any native XP installations would be set up to handle one and only one application, so I doubted that I would find any experience there doing something like this.

Given the above, would either of you really expect to get competent thoughts on this peculiar subject anywhere else?

[mpack]

That your PC is virtual is not relevant to your question, therefore I would look for a forum which deals with the application, rather than being interested in the PC it runs on.

[loukingjr]

I haven't used XP in quite a number of years but, since you should look at the XP guest as if your wife had her own PC with XP and Quicken on it, all you would have to do is install a firewall in XP that blocks all applications from internet traffic with the exception of Quicken. At least that's how I remember it.

[jferguson]

mpack, you are probably right. That the most useful flavor of Quicken won't run on anything except Windows of various vintages has driven others to running it on virtual machines, usually Parallel for the macs and for some reason, maybe because it's free, not VirtualBox. I've found VirtualBox a really good system although running it from Mac scripts a bit twitchy.

louking, you are correct that the MS Firewall can limit communication to a single application. I think I need to find out if that is a two way limitation or simply an outbound limitation. i did search on this and at least so far didn't find any discussion on using their firewall to limit inbound access other than by restricting ports. maybe I'm not sharp enough to figure out which ports.

[loukingjr]

louking, you are correct that the MS Firewall can limit communication to a single application. I think I need to find out if that is a two way limitation or simply an outbound limitation. i did search on this and at least so far didn't find any discussion on using their firewall to limit inbound access other than by restricting ports. maybe I'm not sharp enough to figure out which ports.

actually I meant a third party firewall. there are several that will do what you want and are free. the best without spelling it out is ZA.

[jferguson]

louking, you are correct that the MS Firewall can limit communication to a single application. I think I need to find out if that is a two way limitation or simply an outbound limitation. i did search on this and at least so far didn't find any discussion on using their firewall to limit inbound access other than by restricting ports. maybe I'm not sharp enough to figure out which ports.

actually I meant a third party firewall. there are several that will do what you want and are free. the best without spelling it out is ZA.

Terrific. thank you so much. very best regards

[loukingjr]

you're welcome.