![vmware mac address changes vmware mac address changes](https://virtualmaestroin.files.wordpress.com/2020/05/untitled-diagram-4-1.png)
![vmware mac address changes vmware mac address changes](https://i0.wp.com/wahlnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/example-vm-mac-addresses.png)
The MAC Address Changes option setting affects traffic received by a virtual machine. MAC address changes are set to accept by default meaning that the virtual switch accepts requests to change the effective MAC address. These options are MAC Address Changes and Forged Transmits. System administrators can use virtual switch security profiles on ESX Server hosts to protect against this type of attack by setting two options on the virtual switches. This allows an operating system to stage malicious attacks on the devices in a network by impersonating a network adapter authorized by the receiving network. If the virtual machine operating system changes the MAC address, the operating system can send frames with an impersonated source MAC address at any time. However, the virtual machine’s operating system may alter the effective MAC address to another value at any time. A virtual adapter’s effective MAC address and initial MAC address are the same when they are initially created. Each virtual adapter also has an effective MAC address that filters out incoming network traffic with a destination MAC address different from the effective MAC address. Each virtual NIC in a virtual machine has an initial MAC address assigned when the virtual adapter is created.