diff --git a/docs/resources/virtualization.md.erb b/docs/resources/virtualization.md.erb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c804aa12f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/resources/virtualization.md.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+---
+title: About the virtualization Resource
+---
+
+# virtualization
+
+Use the `virtualization` InSpec audit resource to test the virtualization platform on which the system is running.
+
+## Syntax
+
+An `virtualization` resource block declares the virtualization platform that should be tested:
+
+    describe virtualization do
+      its('system') { should MATCHER 'value' }
+    end
+
+where
+
+* `('system')` is the name of the system information of the virtualization platform (e.g. docker, lxc, vbox, kvm, etc)
+* `MATCHER` is a valid matcher for this resource
+* `'value'` is the value to be tested
+
+## Matchers
+
+This InSpec audit resource has the following matchers:
+
+### be
+
+<%= partial "/shared/matcher_be" %>
+
+### cmp
+
+<%= partial "/shared/matcher_cmp" %>
+
+### eq
+
+<%= partial "/shared/matcher_eq" %>
+
+### include
+
+<%= partial "/shared/matcher_include" %>
+
+### match
+
+<%= partial "/shared/matcher_match" %>
+
+## Examples
+
+The following examples show how to use this InSpec audit resource.
+
+### Test for Docker
+
+    describe virtualization do
+      its('system') { should eq 'docker' }
+    end
+
+### Test for VirtualBox
+
+    describe virtualization do
+      its('system') { should eq 'vbox' }
+      its('role') { should eq 'guest' }
+    end
+
+### Detect the virtualization platform
+
+    if virtualization.system == 'vbox'
+      describe package('name') do
+        it { should be_installed }
+      end
+    end
+
diff --git a/lib/inspec/resource.rb b/lib/inspec/resource.rb
index 7dd16f54a8..5347c91d99 100644
--- a/lib/inspec/resource.rb
+++ b/lib/inspec/resource.rb
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ def self.validate_resource_dsl_version!(version)
 require 'resources/sys_info'
 require 'resources/users'
 require 'resources/vbscript'
+require 'resources/virtualization'
 require 'resources/windows_feature'
 require 'resources/windows_task'
 require 'resources/xinetd'
diff --git a/lib/resources/virtualization.rb b/lib/resources/virtualization.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e4da689ae8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/resources/virtualization.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,252 @@
+# encoding: utf-8
+# author: Takaaki Furukawa
+
+require 'hashie/mash'
+
+module Inspec::Resources
+  class Virtualization < Inspec.resource(1) # rubocop:disable Metrics/ClassLength
+    name 'virtualization'
+    desc 'Use the virtualization InSpec audit resource to test the virtualization platform on which the system is running'
+    example "
+      describe virtualization do
+        its('system') { should eq 'docker' }
+      end
+
+      describe virtualization do
+        its('role') { should eq 'guest' }
+      end
+
+      control 'test' do
+        describe file('/var/tmp/foo') do
+          it { should be_file }
+        end
+        only_if { virtualization.system == 'docker' }
+      end
+    "
+
+    def initialize
+      unless inspec.os.linux?
+        skip_resource 'The `virtualization` resource is not supported on your OS yet.'
+      else
+        collect_data_linux
+      end
+    end
+
+    # add helper methods for easy access of properties
+    # allows users to use virtualization.role, virtualization.system
+    %w{role system}.each do |property|
+      define_method(property.to_sym) do
+        @virtualization_data[property.to_sym]
+      end
+    end
+
+    def params
+      collect_data_linux
+    end
+
+    def to_s
+      'Virtualization Detection'
+    end
+
+    private
+
+    def lxc_version_exists?
+      inspec.command('lxc-version').exist?
+    end
+
+    def docker_exists?
+      inspec.command('docker').exist?
+    end
+
+    def nova_exists?
+      inspec.command('nova').exist?
+    end
+
+    # Detect Xen
+    # /proc/xen is an empty dir for EL6 + Linode Guests + Paravirt EC2 instances
+    # Notes:
+    # - cpuid of guests, if we could get it, would also be a clue
+    # - may be able to determine if under paravirt from /dev/xen/evtchn (See OHAI-253)
+    # - Additional edge cases likely should not change the above assumptions
+    #   but rather be additive - btm
+    def detect_xen
+      return false unless inspec.file('/proc/xen').exist?
+      @virtualization_data[:system] = 'xen'
+      @virtualization_data[:role] = 'guest'
+
+      # This file should exist on most Xen systems, normally empty for guests
+      if inspec.file('/proc/xen/capabilities').exist? &&
+          inspec.file('/proc/xen/capabilities').content =~ /control_d/i # rubocop:disable Style/MultilineOperationIndentation
+        @virtualization_data[:role] = 'host'
+      end
+      true
+    end
+
+    # Detect Virtualbox from kernel module
+    def detect_virtualbox
+      return false unless inspec.file('/proc/modules').exist?
+      modules = inspec.file('/proc/modules').content
+      if modules =~ /^vboxdrv/
+        Inspec::Log.debug('Plugin Virtualization: /proc/modules contains vboxdrv. Detecting as vbox host')
+        @virtualization_data[:system] = 'vbox'
+        @virtualization_data[:role] = 'host'
+      elsif modules =~ /^vboxguest/
+        Inspec::Log.debug('Plugin Virtualization: /proc/modules contains vboxguest. Detecting as vbox guest')
+        @virtualization_data[:system] = 'vbox'
+        @virtualization_data[:role] = 'guest'
+      else
+        return false
+      end
+      true
+    end
+
+    # if nova binary is present we're on an openstack host
+    def detect_openstack
+      return false unless nova_exists?
+      @virtualization_data[:system] = 'openstack'
+      @virtualization_data[:role] = 'host'
+      true
+    end
+
+    # Detect paravirt KVM/QEMU from cpuinfo, report as KVM
+    def detect_kvm_from_cpuinfo
+      return false unless inspec.file('/proc/cpuinfo').content =~ /QEMU Virtual CPU|Common KVM processor|Common 32-bit KVM processor/
+      @virtualization_data[:system] = 'kvm'
+      @virtualization_data[:role] = 'guest'
+      true
+    end
+
+    # Detect KVM systems via /sys
+    # guests will have the hypervisor cpu feature that hosts don't have
+    def detect_kvm_from_sys
+      return false unless inspec.file('/sys/devices/virtual/misc/kvm').exist?
+      if inspec.file('/proc/cpuinfo').content =~ /hypervisor/
+        @virtualization_data[:system] = 'kvm'
+        @virtualization_data[:role] = 'guest'
+      else
+        @virtualization_data[:system] = 'kvm'
+        @virtualization_data[:role] = 'host'
+      end
+      true
+    end
+
+    # Detect OpenVZ / Virtuozzo.
+    # http://wiki.openvz.org/BC_proc_entries
+    def detect_openvz
+      if inspec.file('/proc/bc/0').exist?
+        @virtualization_data[:system] = 'openvz'
+        @virtualization_data[:role] = 'host'
+      elsif inspec.file('/proc/vz').exist?
+        @virtualization_data[:system] = 'openvz'
+        @virtualization_data[:role] = 'guest'
+      else
+        return false
+      end
+      true
+    end
+
+    # Detect Parallels virtual machine from pci devices
+    def detect_parallels
+      return false unless inspec.file('/proc/bus/pci/devices').content =~ /1ab84000/
+      @virtualization_data[:system] = 'parallels'
+      @virtualization_data[:role] = 'guest'
+      true
+    end
+
+    # Detect Linux-VServer
+    def detect_linux_vserver
+      return false unless inspec.file('/proc/self/status').exist?
+      proc_self_status = inspec.file('/proc/self/status').content
+      vxid = proc_self_status.match(/^(s_context|VxID):\s*(\d+)$/)
+      return false unless vxid && vxid[2]
+      @virtualization_data[:system] = 'linux-vserver'
+      if vxid[2] == '0'
+        @virtualization_data[:role] = 'host'
+      else
+        @virtualization_data[:role] = 'guest'
+      end
+      true
+    end
+
+    # Detect LXC/Docker
+    #
+    # /proc/self/cgroup will look like this inside a docker container:
+    # <index #>:<subsystem>:/lxc/<hexadecimal container id>
+    #
+    # /proc/self/cgroup could have a name including alpha/digit/dashes
+    # <index #>:<subsystem>:/lxc/<named container id>
+    #
+    # /proc/self/cgroup could have a non-lxc cgroup name indicating other uses
+    # of cgroups.  This is probably not LXC/Docker.
+    # <index #>:<subsystem>:/Charlie
+    #
+    # A host which supports cgroups, and has capacity to host lxc containers,
+    # will show the subsystems and root (/) namespace.
+    # <index #>:<subsystem>:/
+    #
+    # Full notes, https://tickets.opscode.com/browse/OHAI-551
+    # Kernel docs, https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/cgroups
+    def detect_lxc_docker
+      return false unless inspec.file('/proc/self/cgroup').exist?
+      cgroup_content = inspec.file('/proc/self/cgroup').content
+      if cgroup_content =~ %r{^\d+:[^:]+:/(lxc|docker)/.+$} ||
+          cgroup_content =~ %r{^\d+:[^:]+:/[^/]+/(lxc|docker)-.+$} # rubocop:disable Style/MultilineOperationIndentation
+        @virtualization_data[:system] = $1 # rubocop:disable Style/PerlBackrefs
+        @virtualization_data[:role] = 'guest'
+      elsif lxc_version_exists? && cgroup_content =~ %r{\d:[^:]+:/$}
+        # lxc-version shouldn't be installed by default
+        # Even so, it is likely we are on an LXC capable host that is not being used as such
+        # So we're cautious here to not overwrite other existing values (OHAI-573)
+        unless @virtualization_data[:system] && @virtualization_data[:role]
+          @virtualization_data[:system] = 'lxc'
+          @virtualization_data[:role] = 'host'
+        end
+      else
+        return false
+      end
+      true
+    end
+
+    def detect_docker
+      return false unless inspec.file('/.dockerenv').exist? || inspec.file('/.dockerinit').exist?
+      @virtualization_data[:system] = 'docker'
+      @virtualization_data[:role] = 'guest'
+      true
+    end
+
+    # Detect LXD
+    # See https://github.com/lxc/lxd/blob/master/doc/dev-lxd.md
+    def detect_lxd
+      if inspec.file('/dev/lxd/sock').exist?
+        @virtualization_data[:system] = 'lxd'
+        @virtualization_data[:role] = 'guest'
+      elsif inspec.file('/var/lib/lxd/devlxd').exist?
+        @virtualization_data[:system] = 'lxd'
+        @virtualization_data[:role] = 'host'
+      else
+        return false
+      end
+      true
+    end
+
+    def collect_data_linux # rubocop:disable Metrics/PerceivedComplexity, Metrics/CyclomaticComplexity
+      # cache data in an instance var to avoid doing multiple detections for a single test
+      @virtualization_data ||= Hashie::Mash.new
+      return unless @virtualization_data.empty?
+
+      # each detect method will return true if it matched and was successfully
+      # able to populate @virtualization_data with stuff.
+      return if detect_xen
+      return if detect_virtualbox
+      return if detect_openstack
+      return if detect_kvm_from_cpuinfo
+      return if detect_kvm_from_sys
+      return if detect_openvz
+      return if detect_parallels
+      return if detect_linux_vserver
+      return if detect_lxc_docker
+      return if detect_docker
+      return if detect_lxd
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/integration/default/virtualization_spec.rb b/test/integration/default/virtualization_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..24a6ed7f93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/default/virtualization_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: utf-8
+if ENV['DOCKER'] && os.linux?
+  describe virtualization do
+    its('system') { should eq 'docker' }
+    its('role') { should eq 'guest' }
+  end
+end