Analysis of malicious code identifies a function that searches for specific processes and hardware on a victim host. If the processes or hardware are found, the malicious executable does not install itself. What is a common purpose of this type of malware functionality?
The description points to a common tactic used by malware to avoid detection and analysis. By checking for specific processes and hardware, malware can determine if it is running in a virtual machine or sandboxed environment often used by security researchers and analysts. If such an environment is detected, the malware will not install itself, making 'Detecting virtual machines' the most fitting purpose of this functionality.
checking for the environment settings
A is right