What Is Sandboxing, and Why Do We Need It? (2024)

Sandboxingin Cyber Securityrefers to running software or accessing a file in an environmentisolated from your computer system. Therefore, any malware won’tharm your system. In this blog post, you will learn why we needsandboxing.

Why is Sandboxing important?

Sayyou got an email with a PDF attachment. The sender is a stranger;however, you know that the PDF is crucial. In such cases, sandboxcyber security maybe the best choice. You can safely open the PDF in a sandbox andverify its credibility.

Cyberthreats are increasing day by day. You may not know which softwareyou can trust and which is safe. If you only allow trusted softwareand files to run on your system, your computer will be secure.However, often you may find the need to run unverified software. Andsandboxingcybersecurity tools allow you to run any file without worrying about theircredentials.

Sandboxcyber security tools are essential to protect your network fromzero-day threats. Zero-day threats are threats you know nothing aboutbefore an attack.

Source:Importance of Sandbox

How is Sandbox implemented?

Youcan implement sandbox in different ways:

1. User-levelvalidation: the application inside the sandbox interacts with theenvironment with system calls. You can then specify the permittedsystem calls.
2. Kernel-levelsandbox: each application gets a unique ID. Then it is the kernel’sresponsibility at the process level to ensure security between appsand the OS.
3. Isolatedenvironment: the software components of the sandbox do not interactwith the operating system. You can not access applications installedoutside the sandbox. Moreover, all the changes are temporary.

What are the different types of Sandboxing?

Thereare several types of Sandboxing:

Full-SystemEmulation: Thissandboxingtypesimulates host machines’ CPU and memory. The environment usesemulated devices.

Integratedwith Operating Systems: Thesandboxsecurity functionalityis a part of the operating system. For example:

• Seccomp,groups, and Linux namespaces from the kernel features in Linux forimplementing sandboxing.
• Androiduses a Linux user ID to implement complete application sandboxing.
• AppleApp sandbox is available for Mac and required for all applicationsdistributed via Mac Store.
• Windowshas an inbuilt sandbox for pro-version users.

FullVirtualization: Thissandbox type uses the same hardware without emulation. However, itcreates barriers in the virtual environment; but these environmentsuse the same physical devices.

Browser-Based:Youcan run harmful applets online in a sandbox. The online website loadsin a different environment in this Sandbox type. This way, you cansecure your system from malicious code.

Pros and Cons of Sandboxing

Aswith everything, sandboxingalsohas pros and cons. So let’s look at sandboxing’sprosand cons.

Pros

• Youcan test new software in a controlled environment
• Protectsthe system from malicious software
• Restrictsunauthorized access
• Youcan safely visit any website using a browser-based sandbox.

Cons

• Peoplemay become careless; it is not great as sandboxes have faults.
• Theremay be a security gap that malicious software can attack.
• Maliciousprograms can identify that it is a sandbox and stay inactive if youtrust it. Then they can harm your computer once you remove themfrom the sandbox.

Sandboxing Use Cases

Sandboxinghasmainly two uses: software testing and cybersecurity –

• SoftwareTesting:Using a sandbox, you can safely test your application. It would be acontrolled environment where you can negotiate any mistake. You canalso run two incompatible programs in separate sandboxes.

• Cyber Security: As a sandbox is isolated or needs permissions to interact with the operating system, you can run suspicious programs in it. Additionally, you can research various malware in a sandbox. Understanding their vulnerabilities would be beneficial for learning how to detect them. Again, after creating an antimalware solution, you can test it in a sandbox. Therefore, a sandbox in security is essential.

FAQ

What is an example of sandboxing?

Anexample of sandboxingwouldbe running a virtual machine running a Linux operating system onWindows. The virtual machine will utilize the hardware of yourcomputer. However, it will not have any direct access to it. But youcan connect a USB drive directly to the virtual machine, bypassingthe operating system. This way, you won’t expose your OS to anyharmful program on the USB drive.

Why is it called sandboxing?

Sandboxingcomesfrom the practice of letting children play with sand in a box. Youwill then ensure that children don’t make the house dirty. All thesand will remain in the box. And children can play with sand as longas they are in the box.

Is sandboxing a type of malware?

No,sandboxingisnot a type of malware. On the contrary, it may protect you frommalware. It is an environment where you can run software or accessfiles without letting it affect the OS. That means you can test anysuspicious program in a sandbox to ensure it’s safe.

Why is sandboxing used?

Sandboxingenablesusers to run programs isolated from the operating system. There canbe numerous reasons for using sandbox technology. For example, youmay need to run two different, incompatible programs simultaneously.Or you may need to test a dangerous-looking file. You can also testchanges in a sandbox before making them in the real world. This way,your errors won’t affect your computer system.

What is sandboxing technology?

Sandboxtechnology enables users to create a virtual environment separatedfrom the OS. There are several ways to achieve this. For example, theoperating system’s code may have some features that allow runningsoftware in an isolated environment. Or you could use third-partysandboxingsoftware.You may even have a complete virtual machine running a separateoperating system.