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Building a Hypervisor in Rust

From First Principles to a Full Virtualization Platform

This book is 100% completeLast updated on 2026-07-09
Steve T. Publications

Build a complete x86_64 hardware-assisted hypervisor in Rust from the ground up. Through real, compilable code and clear explanations, you'll implement every major subsystem, from CPU and memory virtualization to device emulation, VirtIO, and multi-vCPU scheduling, gaining a practical understanding of modern virtualization.

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About

About

About the Book

This book teaches you how to implement a complete x86_64 hardware-assisted hypervisor entirely in Rust. Starting from an empty project, you will build every component: CPU virtualization using Intel VT-x (with AMD-V parallels), extended page tables for memory isolation, VM exit handling, interrupt and APIC virtualization, device emulation, VirtIO paravirtualized devices for storage and networking, ACPI table generation, guest firmware loading, and multi-vCPU scheduling. Every concept is grounded in working, compilable Rust code with line-by-line explanations. No placeholders, no pseudocode, no hand-waving. If you have systems programming experience and want to understand how virtualization really works at the hardware level, this book will take you there.

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About the Author

Steve T. Publications

Steve T. is a cybersecurity leader, researcher, and engineer with more than 20 years of experience across application security, infrastructure security, vulnerability management, software development, and secure engineering practices. Having built his career alongside the growth of the modern internet, he has worked through multiple generations of technology, evolving security threats, and changing development methodologies.

He is currently part of the advanced research organization at a leading cybersecurity company, where he focuses on emerging threats, security innovation, and the practical application of research. His work involves investigating new attack techniques, evaluating emerging technologies, conducting deep technical analysis, and helping organizations better understand and manage complex security risks.

In addition to his research responsibilities, Steve leads a team of senior engineers and subject matter experts who create technical books, training programs, and educational resources for security professionals. Through this work, he helps engineers, developers, architects, and security practitioners strengthen their skills and build more secure systems.

Steve's technical expertise spans software development, reverse engineering, web application security, penetration testing, security architecture, incident response, vulnerability research, operating system internals, and secure software development. His ability to analyze systems at both the source code and binary levels enables him to bridge the worlds of software engineering, security research, and practical defense.

Over the course of his career, Steve has worked with organizations across a wide range of industries, helping them identify, assess, and remediate security weaknesses in critical applications and infrastructure. He is recognized for combining deep technical expertise with a pragmatic approach to security, focusing on solutions that are effective, sustainable, and aligned with business goals.

Through his work in research, engineering, leadership, and education, Steve continues to contribute to the advancement of cybersecurity and the development of secure, resilient technology systems.

Contents

Table of Contents

From First Principles to a Full Virtualization Platform

Introduction: The Virtual Machine

  1. Why Rust?
  2. What This Book Covers
  3. How to Use This Book
  4. What This Book Is Not

Chapter 1: Project Foundation — Bare-Metal Rust on x86_64

  1. Setting Up the Cross-Compilation Toolchain
  2. Memory Allocator for no_std
  3. The Linker Script
  4. The Bootloader Handoff — Multiboot2 Entry
  5. Entering Long Mode from Real Mode
  6. The Core Kernel Entry Point
  7. Memory Layout and Early Allocator
  8. Early Console — Serial Port Output

Chapter 2: Understanding x86_64 Virtualization Hardware

  1. The Root/Non-Root Execution Mode Model
  2. CPUID Detection and Feature Enumeration
  3. Intel VT-x Architecture — VMXON, VMCS, and VM Entry/Exit
  4. AMD-V Architecture — SVM and the VMCB
  5. The Virtualization Instruction Set
  6. Hypervisor Initialization

Chapter 3: Guest Memory Management — Extended Page Tables

  1. The Two-Level Translation Problem
  2. EPT Page Table Structure
  3. AMD NPT — The Parallel Path
  4. Building Guest RAM Mappings

Chapter 4: VMCS Configuration and Guest CPU State

  1. VMCS Layout and Field Encoding
  2. Guest-State Area Configuration
  3. Host-State Area Configuration
  4. VMCS Validation and Error Codes

Chapter 5: Virtual CPU Lifecycle — Launch, Resume, and Exits

  1. The vCPU Data Structure
  2. VMLAUNCH vs VMRESUME — The First Entry Problem
  3. VM Entry Failures and Recovery

Chapter 6: Interrupts, Exceptions, and the APIC

  1. The x86 Interrupt Model Recap
  2. Virtualizing the IDT — Exception Bitmap Control
  3. Local APIC Virtualization
  4. I/O APIC and Interrupt Routing
  5. Event Injection — Delivering Interrupts to Guests

Chapter 7: I/O Virtualization — MMIO, PIO, and PCI Passthrough

  1. Memory-Mapped I/O via EPT Intercepts
  2. Port I/O Interception — IN/OUT Instructions
  3. PCI Configuration Space Access
  4. MSI and MSI-X Virtualization
  5. Device Passthrough Fundamentals

Chapter 8: Virtual Devices — Serial, RTC, and PIT Emulation

  1. The VirtIO Framework — Paravirtualized Device Standard
  2. Serial Port Emulation (COM1)
  3. RTC and PIT Emulation
  4. HPET — High Precision Event Timer
  5. ACPI Tables Construction

Chapter 9: Storage and Block Device Virtualization

  1. VirtIO Block Device Specification
  2. Building the VirtIO Block Backend
  3. VirtIO Console — Character Device Virtualization
  4. Raw Disk Access and Backing Store Management

Chapter 10: Networking Virtualization

  1. VirtIO Net Device Specification
  2. Building the VirtIO Net Backend
  3. TAP Device Integration on Linux
  4. MAC Address and VLAN Handling
  5. Network Performance Considerations

Chapter 11: Guest Boot — BIOS/UEFI Firmware Loading

  1. BIOS vs UEFI Boot Paths
  2. Loading SeaBIOS — The Simple Path
  3. Loading OVMF — UEFI Firmware
  4. Guest Kernel Direct Boot (no firmware)
  5. Debugging the First Guest Boot

Chapter 12: Multi-vCPU Systems and Scheduling

  1. vCPU Pinning and Host Thread Mapping
  2. Inter-Processor Interrupts (IPIs)
  3. vCPU Scheduling Strategies
  4. SMP Boot Sequence — Waking APs
  5. Cross-vCPU State and Communication

Chapter 13: Performance, Debugging, and Security

  1. Profiling VM Exit Overhead
  2. TSC Scaling and Clock Virtualization
  3. GDB Stub and Hypervisor Debugging
  4. Security Hardening — Isolation and Sandboxing
  5. Error Handling and Recovery Patterns
  6. Benchmarking Methodology
  7. Troubleshooting Common Failures
  8. Cross-Platform Considerations
  9. Production Deployment Checklist

Conclusion: What We Built and Where to Go Next

References

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