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Re: [Xen-devel] VMM detection

To: Wu Bingzheng <wubingzheng@xxxxxxx>, "xen-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <xen-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Xen-devel] VMM detection
From: Keir Fraser <keir.fraser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:37:40 +0000
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On 05/03/2009 03:15, "Wu Bingzheng" <wubingzheng@xxxxxxx> wrote:

> So do you mean that in HVM guest, the SGDT will get the GDT of guest, but not
> Xen?
> 
> It lists 17 instructions in Pentium instruction set, which is virtualization
> sensitive
> and unprivileged, including SGDT, at paper named
> Analysis of the IntelPentium's Ability to Support aSecure Virtual Machine
> Monitor
> <http://www.usenix.org/events/sec00/full_papers/robin/robin_html/index.html>.
> Using these instructions, we can detect VMM on a PV guest.
> 
> I want to know if we can use these instructions to detect VMM on a HVM guest.

No, they behave 'natively' when running as an HVM guest. The guest cannot
easily tell it is running on a VMM.

 -- Keir



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