Information
Disabling console paste operations on virtual machines obstructs data transfer from the local client to the VM, irrespective of the access method - be it Web Console, VMRC, or another console. This security measure aims to curtail potential avenues for unauthorized data transfer into the virtual environment. The parameter governing this behavior is isolation.tools.paste.disable with a recommended setting of TRUE or Undefined.
By disabling console paste operations, organizations add a layer of security that helps in preventing unauthorized data introduction into the VM, which could potentially lead to various security risks.
Solution
To set this configuration utilize the vSphere interface as follows:
- Select the VM then select Actions followed by Edit Settings
- Click on the VM Options tab then expand Advanced
- Click on EDIT CONFIGURATION
- Click on ADD CONFIGURATION PARAMS then input isolation.tools.paste.disable with a value of TRUE
- Click OK then OK again.
To explicitly disable VM console paste operations, run the following PowerCLI command:
# Add the setting to all VMs
Get-VM | New-AdvancedSetting -Name "isolation.tools.paste.disable" -value $true
Impact:
There is no functional impact identified. The control simply enhances the security posture by reducing possible data transfer channels into the VM.