What Is Virtual Machine Hyper Jumping (VM Jumping)?

Did you know that when you jump from one VM to another, it's called a "virtual machine hyper-jump"? It's true! And with this technique, attackers can gain access to the host computer, the hypervisor and other VMs—all from inside a single VM. In short, it's never been easier for hackers to gain access to your data—and you won't even know it's happening until it's too late. Virtual machines are great. They allow us to play with Linux on our Macs, run legacy software on a new device, and more! But they can also be a bit of a pain in the butt. Sometimes you want to do something requiring multiple VMs running at once, but then you're stuck trying to figure out how to manage them all and keep them running simultaneously. And then there's the issue of having to kill one VM when you want to use another—or worse yet, having them all start up automatically when you turn your computer on. Luckily for us, we now have VM jumping! VM jumping is an attack method that exploits the hypervisor's weakness that allows a virtual machine (VM) to be accessed from another. The vulnerabilities allow remote attacks and malware to compromise the VM's separation and protections, making it possible for an attacker to gain access to the host computer, the hypervisor and other VMs, and jump from one VM to another. Virtual machine hyper jumping exploits are designed for compromising a VM, which is then used to access or launch attacks against other VMs or hosts. It is usually done by targeting and accessing a less secure VM on a host, which is then used as the launch point for further attacks on the system. One of the most common ways to do this is by using a vulnerable app to access a less secure VM. For example, if an attacker could obtain access to a less secure VM that another attack had compromised, they could use that as their “launch pad” for further attacks.