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VM on Student Computer

  • October 9, 2025
  • 6 replies
  • 81 views

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Hello- Let me start by saying that I am unfamiliar with VMs. We are a 1:1 Apple School. One of our HS student’s is taking a cybersecurity class online and has requested I install Virtual Box on their MacBook, along with Ubuntu. What sort of security, privacy issues am I looking at here? We have JAMF Safe installed on all our computers. Will they be able to skirt our filters?

6 replies

Chubs
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  • Jamf Heroes
  • October 10, 2025

First let me advise you to use the built in UTM framework for this.  If your concern is about privacy and filters and such, then your answer is yes. You’ll want to treat the VM as a separate asset - by locking it down individually. 


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  • Author
  • Contributor
  • October 10, 2025

Thanks for the info.

I’ll have to explore UTM.


AJPinto
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  • Legendary Contributor
  • October 10, 2025

You really want to take this question to your security team. The guest OS is totally independent of the host OS. None of the security or management tools on the host OS will apply. VM's need to be managed independently of the host if you want them managed at all.


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  • Author
  • Contributor
  • October 10, 2025

That’s what I am discovering.

Thanks for helping me out.


Chubs
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  • Jamf Heroes
  • October 11, 2025

You really want to take this question to your security team. The guest OS is totally independent of the host OS. None of the security or management tools on the host OS will apply. VM's need to be managed independently of the host if you want them managed at all.

Actually since the network has to be bridged, some network filters (depending on how they inject themselves into the network stack) will filter the VM traffic. Most of the other stuff though will need to be treated like a standalone machine. 


AJPinto
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  • Legendary Contributor
  • October 12, 2025

You really want to take this question to your security team. The guest OS is totally independent of the host OS. None of the security or management tools on the host OS will apply. VM's need to be managed independently of the host if you want them managed at all.

Actually since the network has to be bridged, some network filters (depending on how they inject themselves into the network stack) will filter the VM traffic. Most of the other stuff though will need to be treated like a standalone machine. 

I did consider mentioning this, but I did not want to get that far in to the weeds with a fundamental question. NAT vs Bridged network connections can be a bit to understand.

 

The cleanest solution here is probably to give the student an unmanaged Mac and have them configure it as needed for this class. Honestly, any management on the guest Ubuntu install could easily interfere with the coursework from this cyber security class.