virtualbox.org

Are there any security concerns with using Linux ssh in VirtualBox hosted on MS Windows?

I have an MS Windows machine that I want to use to host Linux so I can use ssh to connect to a UNIX server at Oklahoma State University, but I want to make sure that my school password isn't comprimised or sniffed. I had been using cygwin in the past, but I like the idea of having a complete Linux system at my figertips without having to reboot.

The only way that SSH will be practically compromised is if your private key is compromised and that is down to how you protect your client. I don't think that using a VM adds anything here.

?? What's wrong with PuTTY and Pageant running native on your Windows PC ??

Thanks TerryE.

I guess there isn't anything wrong with running PuTTY and Pageant natively. Because of mingw and minsys there are a lot of cool ports of UNIX software to Microsoft. Deep inside I am a UNIX fan, though.

I suppose one advantage of me using Virtual Box for my schoolwork is that I can run SunStudio on a Virtual Copy of OpenSolaris(or Linux) hosted in MS Windows. I have run Linux and Windows Dual Boot in the past, but no matter which OS I login to, I'm always finding something I need or want from the other OS.

When I am in Linux, I am wishing my Xerox Docuprint 4517 (no postscript card), Cubase Audio Software, Emulator X and PowerDirector would work properly. When I am in Microsoft, I am wishing that I had decent shell/compiler and command lines tools. MS Visual Studio Express C++ is pretty good, but the debugger seem a bit flacky.

I thought about going Mac OSX, Max OSX is the best of both worlds UNIX and Multimedia and Max OSX runs Cubase and let's me do MPEG encoding for home movies legally. The trouble is that Macs are too expensive.

If I sound like a troubled young man who can't make up his mind, then you are mostly right. I am troubled and I can't make up my mind, but I'm not so young... Is suppose that for crazy people like me who constantly can't make of their mind which OS is best, then VitualBox is a good fit!!!

No all good reasons for Linux. I do all my dev on Linux as well. It's just that your OP implied that you only wanted Linux to use SSH in which case Linux VM is probably overkill, that's all