Which type of hypervisor is most attractive for malicious attackers to target?

The most attractive type of hypervisor for malicious attackers to target is the second type, known as a Type 2 hypervisor. Type 2 hypervisors, also referred to as hosted hypervisors, run on top of an existing operating system rather than directly on the hardware. This dependency on the host operating system introduces more vulnerabilities and attack surfaces compared to Type 1 hypervisors, which run directly on hardware.

Since Type 2 hypervisors rely on the underlying OS for their functionality, any vulnerabilities present in the host OS can potentially be exploited by an attacker to gain access to the virtual machines running on the hypervisor. This makes it easier for attackers to compromise the virtual environment. Additionally, Type 2 hypervisors often include third-party components and may also lack the same level of security controls and isolation that are present in Type 1 hypervisors.

In contrast, Type 1 hypervisors are designed with security in mind, as they manage virtual machines directly on the hardware, limiting their exposure to vulnerabilities in other software layers. This fundamental difference in architecture makes Type 2 hypervisors more appealing targets for malicious actions.