Method and apparatus for protecting sensitive information from disclosure through virtual machines files

An apparatus for protecting sensitive information from disclosure through virtual machine files, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one computer processor;
• at least one memory storing instructions that when executed by the at least one computer processor cause the apparatus to:
• halt at least one virtual machine on a host machine of the at least one computer processor and delete the at least one virtual machine;
• access at least one virtual disk that is associated with the at least one virtual machine to determine mappings between data objects and the at least one virtual disk using the at least one computer processor;
• examine, using the at least one computer processor, the data objects within the at least one virtual disk using the mappings;
• identify sensitive information within at least one data object based on a data loss prevention policy in the memory using the at least one computer processor;
• determine a degree of sensitivity of the sensitive information;
• and
• prevent disclosure of the sensitive information by rendering the at least one virtual disk that comprises the at least one data object of the at least one virtual disk inaccessible for unauthorized use using the at least one computer processor when the degree of sensitivity exceeds a threshold degree of sensitivity.

A non-transitory computer-readable-storage medium comprising one or more processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:

• halt at least one virtual machine on a host machine of the at least one processor and delete the at least one virtual machine;
• access mapping information associated with data objects within at least one virtual disk in memory that are associated with the at least one virtual machine using the at least one processor;
• scan the data objects using a data loss prevention policy for identifying sensitive information;
• determine a degree of sensitivity of the sensitive information;
• and
• prevent disclosure of the sensitive information by rendering the at least one virtual disk comprising the sensitive information associated with the at least one virtual machine inaccessible for unauthorized use when the degree of sensitivity exceeds a threshold degree of sensitivity.