Running software in VMs to stay safe is not a new idea. So is it effective in this case?
Just because attackers can break out of VMs, doesn't mean that they always do. I wager most malware out there isn't set up to do that.
Locking your car door won't keep a dedicated attacker out of your car. Simple ceramic shards from a sparkplug will get them through the window with barely any effort at all. Nevertheless, locking your car doors is an effective way to reduce your risk, as it dissuades more opportunistic attackers.
As far as I know, malware generally won't run in VMs. Because its enemies use VMs to study it. The side benefit is that VM breakout is rare. Except from the NSA ;)
Just because attackers can break out of VMs, doesn't mean that they always do. I wager most malware out there isn't set up to do that.
Locking your car door won't keep a dedicated attacker out of your car. Simple ceramic shards from a sparkplug will get them through the window with barely any effort at all. Nevertheless, locking your car doors is an effective way to reduce your risk, as it dissuades more opportunistic attackers.