Monday, March 26, 2007

Computer Virtualization in Java

Researchers at Oxford have built an x86 emulator that runs purely on Java, making it ideal for security researchers who want to analyze and archive viruses, host honeypots and defend themselves against buggy or malicious software without hosing their machines. The JPC also emulates a host of other environments, giving technophiles the ability to play Asteroids and other software that's sat on shelves for years collecting dust.

Here are several key features of JPC :
  • Cross-Platform
JPC is completely implemented in Java, so it works seamlessly across all major computing platforms, including Windows, Linux and MacOS. JPC even works on non-x86 based hardware like ARM and SPARC.
  • Secure
JPC comes with the assured security of being run entirely within the Java sandbox. This means that the emulated hardware is completely isolated from the underlying hardware and cannot damage or interfere with it in any way.
  • Flexible
With JPC, you have complete configuration control with virtual peripherals and software libraries. And if you mess up, you only mess up your virtual PC. Just delete your disk images and start again.

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