(Un)Detecting virtualized OS

[massula]

Hi all!

So, VirtualBox and other hypervisors change some characteristics of the guest system (I'm talking specifically about Windows), like Manufacturer, Model and so on.

And some programs can detect this, and can change their normal behavior, or even not work at all.

I'm wondering if is possible mask these system parameters, making the guest looks like a bare metal install, preventing these programs to know they are running inside an virtualized OS.

Hints?

[socratis]

The answer is simple: No.
Several like you have had this idea before. It can't be done if a program does not want to run in a virtual machine. Search these forums for similar answers/attempts. It's not a matter of how, it's a matter of no way.

There are some parameters that you can change, but not the fact that you're inside a VM.

[massula]

Thanks, Socratis.

I've searched the forums, but didn't found any answer about this specific topic.

I will take a look again.

[socratis]

You can also take a look at Ch. 9.12 of the user manual: Configuring the BIOS DMI information.

[massula]

Good tip! I will try something from there.

Thanks again!

[mpack]

Configuring the BIOS DMI information will be pointless. Applications which specifically test if they are running in a VM obviously know about VMs and know that the DMI information is fake by definition. It will rely on detection methods that can't be faked, such as latency, presence of legacy devices, modern CPUs with fewer than expected cores, processor features not available etc.

[socratis]

Yeap, I already told the OP that if the programmer doesn't want you to run in a VM, you won't run in a VM. Period. I even remember that a coupon-printing software caught wind of that and it doesn't allow it anymore...