A baseline virtual machine (VM) instance is created within a protected secure environment from a production VM image. The baseline VM instance is a protected clone of a production VM instance created within a deployed environment from the production VM image. VM instance information of the baseline VM instance is collected during a startup process of the baseline VM instance within the protected secure environment. First baseline validity code is generated from the collected VM instance information of the baseline VM instance. VM instance information of the production VM instance is collected during a startup process of the production VM instance within the deployed environment. First production validity code is generated from the collected VM information of the production VM instance. A determination is made as to whether there is an error in the production VM instance by comparing the first baseline validity code and the first production validity code.