Configuring VMware and Installing your Honeypots

VMware is virtualization software that allows you to run multiple operating systems at the same time. For the purpose of this paper, we are going to build our Honeywall on a server machine, comprising a P4 2.4 GHz processor and 1 GB RAM. The base operating system is Fedora Core 4.

First we will download the VMware from www.vmware.com. We will use the latest VMware 5.x for our Virtual Honeynet. New VMware 5 offers lots of interesting features.

Let’s install VMware on our Linux HostOS.

Once installed, the next step is to configure the VMware. Configuration is done by executing the command 'vmware-config.pl'.

[root@localhost Desktop]# vmware-config.pl
Making sure services for VMware Workstation are stopped.

Stopping VMware services:
   Virtual machine monitor                                 [ OK ]

You must read and accept the End User License Agreement to continue.
Press enter to display it.

o you accept? (yes/no) yes

Thank you.

Configuring fallback GTK+ 2.4 libraries.

***
* Updating MIME database in /usr/share/mime...
***
In which directory do you want to install the mime type icons?
[/usr/share/icons]

In which directory do you want to install the application's icon?
[/usr/share/pixmaps]

Trying to find a suitable vmmon module for your running kernel.

None of the pre-built vmmon modules for VMware Workstation is suitable for your
running kernel. Do you want this program to try to build the vmmon module for
your system (you need to have a C compiler installed on your system)? [yes]

Using compiler "/usr/bin/gcc". Use environment variable CC to override.

What is the location of the directory of C header files that match your running
kernel? [/lib/modules/2.6.11-1.1369_FC4/build/include]

Extracting the sources of the vmmon module.

Building the vmmon module.

Do you want networking for your virtual machines? (yes/no/help) [yes]

Configuring a bridged network for vmnet0.

The following bridged networks have been defined:

. vmnet0 is bridged to eth0

All your ethernet interfaces are already bridged.

Do you want to be able to use NAT networking in your virtual machines? (yes/no)
[yes]

Configuring a NAT network for vmnet8.

Do you want this program to probe for an unused private subnet? (yes/no/help)
[yes]

Probing for an unused private subnet (this can take some time)...

The subnet 172.16.100.0/255.255.255.0 appears to be unused.

The following NAT networks have been defined:

. vmnet8 is a NAT network on private subnet 172.16.100.0.

Do you wish to configure another NAT network? (yes/no) [no]

Do you want to be able to use host-only networking in your virtual machines?
[yes]

Configuring a host-only network for vmnet1.

Do you want this program to probe for an unused private subnet? (yes/no/help)
[yes]

Probing for an unused private subnet (this can take some time)...

The subnet 172.16.140.0/255.255.255.0 appears to be unused.

The following host-only networks have been defined:

. vmnet1 is a host-only network on private subnet 172.16.140.0.

Do you wish to configure another host-only network? (yes/no) [no]

Extracting the sources of the vmnet module.

Building the vmnet module.

Starting VMware services:
   Virtual machine monitor                                 [ OK ]
   Virtual ethernet                                        [ OK ]
   Bridged networking on /dev/vmnet0                       [ OK ]
   Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet1 (background)        [ OK ]
   Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet8 (background)        [ OK ]
   NAT service on /dev/vmnet8                              [ OK ]

The configuration of VMware Workstation 5.0.0 build-13124 for Linux for this
running kernel completed successfully.

You can now run VMware Workstation by invoking the following command:
"/usr/bin/vmware".

Enjoy,

--the VMware team