Sandbox

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Can someone explain to me in laymans terms how sandboxing works and give me an example on how to use it please.

Please do not send me to a website unless it really explains it and shows you step by step how to use it.

thanks
robin

2

Well it depends… What sandboxing program are you planning on using? Avast Pro/IS? Sandboxie? etc

  • Avasts sandbox is very easy to use: Just right click an .exe and select run in sandbox. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN2k8mpX_To But note that avast does not sandbox downloads by default. To sandbox all downloads you need to enable that in the Expert Settings (tick the first checkbox).
  • Sandboxie:Step-by-step Guide

As for how it works: I found this explanation to be very easy to understand.

So basically, malware could only infect the “virtual computer.” When you close the sandboxed program, everything gets emptied out, and your real machine stays clean.

3

Just the same as the real sandbox, a place where the kids can play in safety.

So very basically - In terms of a security sandbox is to isolate a program/process from the rest of the computer reducing the risk of infection.

4

so if you right click a new application to install it and tell it to run in sandbox, it installs in sandbox virtually, but does it mean it still installs the program onto your computer?, and yes i am talking about Avast’s sandbox. I have the full version on one of my computers and i just never used the function because i did not understand what it does and now i see that the free 6.0 version will have it also but a bit differently. It will do it automatically? I am assuming if the program has malware or viruses attached to it and if you run it in sandbox it will not run? or what happens to it?
and if you right click an existing program and run it in sandbox it basically protects it from your computer?
I am assuming you would run ie or firefox in it correct? and an example of other programs to run?

thanks
robin

5

oh also how is the autosandbox going to work in version 6 free?
In Avast Internet Security you can just right click and run it vertually 1 time if you want or set it up to do automatic.
Does this mean you will have to set each exe to run automatically and there will be no option to do it once time?
thanks
robin

6

No it does not work… You can’t install software in any sandbox.

Yes… but it won’t install… it will only run. No changes will be allowed to your real system.

7

On demand you can set an application to always run into the sandbox.
On access (automatic) the application will be sent to sandbox IF a suspicious behavior is detected, i.e., only if the file is possibly infected.

No, you will always have the option.

Dialogs will be:


When avast! detects that a suspicious program is being executed, it can automatically place it into the sandbox.
Enable AutoSandbox
Files that will be excluded from automatic sandboxing
8

thank you- can you also answer please my other questions (my second post)
thanks
robin

9

I have answered already…

10

well yes and no
you did not answer on which applications do you recommend to run in the sandbox besides firefox, ie

thanks so much
robin

11

I just run browsers into sandbox… I don’t see a reason to use any other kind of application into the sandbox. The email programs would not download/save the emails… The P2P won’t save the files…

12

i thought so, just wanted to check with you, browsers are the most vulnerable anyway.
thanks so much for your help it is well appreciated.
robin