Which is Safer Sandbox or SafeZone?

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

I am especially interested in the comparative security when using my laptop using an unsecured WIFI.

Is there a difference in security when browsing, and when banking? I find I can print from the sandbox, but not the SafeZone.

Thanks,
Jerry

2

It is well that Avast has a sandbox in addition to the safezone. I am hoping that a fix will result in our being able to print from the safezone. I find that I can print from the sandbox, and that may be the only alternative unless one goes to some third party fix. I have no idea what that would be of course.

The printing situation is a large part of the reason for my question regarding which is more secure. If I need to use my laptop from a hotel with an unsecured WIFI the ability to print is necessary at times.

Jerry

3

You have in effect already answered your own question.

The two functions are different - The more secure of the two is the avast Safe Zone as it is completely isolated from your desktop, but it comes with restrictions to give that isolation. The more holes in that isolation the less secure it becomes, essentially the safe zone is designed for on-line banking and other confidential purposes. That is why it uses its own safe zone browser and also uses its own secure DNS server.

4

Thanks, David, it makes sense.
Jerry

5

You’re welcome.

Whilst the safe zone is that more secure of the two, that doesn’t mean that the sandbox isn’t in secure as it does provide another level of protection in the browser being sandboxed. Also don’t forget that you have the usual avast protection in the form of the Web Shield (excellent) and the Network Shield (very good on malicious sites).

6

I am presently thinking of my laptop security. I do not travel much anymore, but when I do I do not have access to a secure WIFI. Accordingly, I am trying to determine the best combination to provide the best security I can come up with.

The combination of the SafeZone and Sandbox is about the best I can do. I can surf in the Sandbox using FF and print from there. The Sandbox is giving problems in IE 9, but I can live without IE. I am hoping that I will be able to print from the SafeZone, but if I cannot I can use the Sandbox when I need to print a transaction.

Thanks,
Jerry

7

Well the topic that you were directed to before on the safe zone suggestions, etc. had a work around to get the print from the safe zone to work. Didn’t you try that ?

8

No, I am not very savvy, and do not want to get anything complicated. I think that Avast should work without a dummy like me using work arounds.
I have another post about IE. I now cannot get IE9 out of the sandbox. As a result I cannot access most of my favorites. How do I get it out of the sandbox? I have the “run in the sandbox” unchecked, but to no avail. :frowning:

Thanks,
Jerry

9

Whilst I don’t have the Sandbox feature, surely clearing the sandbox flushes it. You should also be able to able to change a selected program in the expert settings.

The avastUI, Settings, Program Help does provide some useful information - extracts below.

In the Expert Settings, you can further define applications that should always be run in virtualized mode, and trusted applications that should never be virtualized.
Right-clicking on an application that is already in the sandbox, will open a new context menu which will enable the application to be run one time outside the sandbox or alternatively, it can be removed from the sandbox completely so that it will be run in the normal environment again every time it is started.
[b]Context Menu[/b] By checking the box "Integrate into the right-click context menu..." on the Parameters screen, you can add this option to the context menu. You can add this option for all users, or only for users with administrator rights.
Right-clicking on an application that is already in the sandbox, will open a new context menu which will enable the application to be run one time outside the sandbox or alternatively, it can be removed from the sandbox completely so that it will be run in the normal environment again every time it is started.
10

Thanks, David,
I have tried those with no results.
I set the context menu selecting the right click option has no effect. I have tried those suggestions as best as I can understand them It would make sense to me that when I unchecked the block to run the browser sandboxed that it would no longer be running sandboxed.

I’ll wait and see if the techs can give a solution.

Regards,
Jerry

11

What do you mean by the “right click option has no effect” ?

Does it not give the option to run normally or does it give the option but it still runs sandboxed ?

12

There is no response when I right click. It offers me no options, and the browser is still sandboxed.

I was trialing Avast Pro, and figured if I uninstalled it, I could not continue with the trial. To get my system running right I uninstalled Pro. So I am now trialing Internet Security. I have licenses for both, and will see what I like.
I bought two Pro licenses from Downloadcrew. Avast has always been my “go to” AV, and I thought I would buy two licenses for my hip pocket. I already had a license from Newegg for Internet Security. It won’t begin until I install it.

I did not realize the licenses from Downloadcrew started when purchased so I will use them on my laptop, and desktop.

With a new installation of Avast IS the browsers are now OK. I think I will stay out of the sandbox.:slight_smile:

I do really appreciate your help.

Regards,
Jerry

13

Because of the differing installations of avast you have had on that system, if you haven’t already done so I would suggest a clean reinstall of whichever version you want to use.

  • Download the latest version of avast, 7.0.1456 see download locations below and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again (if you didn’t save your last download). Use that when you reinstall.

  • Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, aswClear.exe find it here and save it to your HDD (it has uninstall tools for 5.x, 6.0.x and 7.0.x).

    1. Now uninstall avast! (using add remove programs, if you can’t do that start from the next step), reboot.- 2. run the avast! Uninstall Utility from safe mode, first for 6.x if previously installed and then for 7.0, once complete reboot into normal mode.- 3. install the latest version, reboot.

Pro AV: - http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/avast_pro_antivirus_setup.exe
AIS: - http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/avast_internet_security_setup.exe

14

Many thanks, David. When I decide which version I am going to use, I will follow your instructions.

If support provides information that would seem to be helpful to others I will post it to this thread. I am hoping they will provide some simple method of removing browsers from the sandbox. It has to be easy when you are dealing with an oak stump. :slight_smile:

Best regards,
Jerry

15

You’re welcome.