1. A method comprising the steps of: identifying a virtual disk that is associated with a virtual machine, without employing the virtual machine; parsing the virtual disk without employing the virtual machine; providing read and write access to the virtual disk at a file level or sector level; identifying one or more registry files on the virtual disk, where one or more of the identified registry files are associated with the virtual machine; providing read and write access to one or more of the identified registry files that are associated with the virtual machine, such read and write access to a registry file being provided to software outside of the virtual machine; and using the read or write access to a registry file in order to perform security operations for the benefit of the virtual machine without employing the virtual machine.