Has anyone tried "Browser in the Box" ?

[jetman]

Hi-

Browser in the Box | Rohde & Schwarz Cybersecurity

This seems to be a secure browser developed by a independent security company- as far as I can tell it is is Firefox which is set up to automatically run inside a virtual machine.

This seems like a good idea. And although I have never heard of the developers, they appear to be a legitimate cyber security company.

Any comments ? Anyone tried this ?

 

[HarborFront]

Same as if you run FF in Sandboxie

I might give it a spin later since it's free for individual use. Just not sure how often they update the browser, any extensions allow etc

 

[bunchuu]

Same as if you run FF in Sandboxie

I might give it a spin later since it's free for individual use. Just not sure how often they update the browser, any extensions allow etc

just as @HarborFront said, bitbox file size is 600MB meanwhile FF and sandboxie will cost you less storage.

 

[HarborFront]

just as @HarborFront said, bitbox file size is 600MB meanwhile FF and sandboxie will cost you less storage.

Storage space is not so much of a concern. Memory consumption is especially for users having less RAM

 

[HarborFront]

The requirements for Windows installation is here

Installation under Windows
The following requirements to the hard- and software are prerequisite to a successful operation of "Browser in the Box" under Windows.

Operating system

• Microsoft Windows 7 SP1 / 8 / 8.1
  
• VirtualBox Version 4.3.20_Sirrix (part of the installation package)

Hardware

• At least 2 GB RAM
• At least 1,8 GHz CPU (e.g. Core2Duo)
• At least 2 GB free disk space
• activated virtualization technology
  (Intel VT-x with Intel EPT or AMD-V with RVI)
  
• Internet connection

Recommended

• 4 GB RAM
• 2 GHz CPU or more
• 64-Bit technology
• activated virtualization technology
  (Intel VT-x with Intel EPT or AMD-V with RVI)
  
• At least 2 GB free disk space
• Internet connection

It's using VirtualBox with FF/Chrome.

https://www.sirrix.com/content/pages/59796.htm

So, do I need to remove my current FF and Chrome browsers?

 

[Infrared]

That’s pretty interesting never really seen this before

 

[HarborFront]

That’s pretty interesting never really seen this before

No new technology here. You can also install and run FF/Chrome in VirtualBox

I believe they package everything nicely for the user to use

 

[AlanOstaszewski]

I tried this concept long ago (Bitbox). This is Linux with Firefox in a virtual machine. It saved at this time downloads to the host machine. That means that you're not protected if you download malicious files and run them. Don't know how it is today with this tool.

 

[HarborFront]

I tried this long ago. This is Linux with Firefox in a virtual machine. It saved at this time downloads to the host machine. That means that you're not protected if you download malicious files and run them. Don't know how it is today.

Your AV not protecting you?

 

[AlanOstaszewski]

Your AV not protecting you?

Facepalm. Why I need a browser that is in a virtual box and moves all downloaded files to the host machine? Don't know how this browser will secure me because I tried only BitBox that has the same concept. SemperVideo (a german youtuber) made a video about the BitBox:

 

[shmu26]

I also tried it a while back.
It is different from Sandboxie, because it is full virtualization, it is VirtualBox. It is not integrated into the real OS. The only integration is that it saves your downloads to your real system. I think you can change that behavior, though.
It eats CPU because you are running a second OS (Linux), and it is not a very convenient way to browse.

 

[HarborFront]

I also tried it a while back.
It is different from Sandboxie, because it is full virtualization, it is VirtualBox. It is not integrated into the real OS. The only integration is that it saves your downloads to your real system. I think you can change that behavior, though.
It eats CPU because you are running a second OS (Linux), and it is not a very convenient way to browse.

How's the similarity to Shadow Defender?

 

[shmu26]

How's the similarity to Shadow Defender?

Different concept. Shadow Defender does nothing to protect you during the current session, and everything to protect you when you reboot.
But running your browser in a Linux virtual machine is meant to protect your current session from infection, because 1) your real OS is completely separate 2) Linux is very hard to infect (because we are not talking here about servers, which are a target for Linux infections, we are just talking about a home PC).

 

[HarborFront]

Different concept. Shadow Defender does nothing to protect you during the current session, and everything to protect you when you reboot.
But running your browser in a Linux virtual machine is meant to protect your current session from infection, because 1) your real OS is completely separate 2) Linux is very hard to infect (because we are not talking here about servers, which are a target for Linux infections, we are just talking about a home PC).

How's the difference if I install VB and then run Chrome/FF as compared to BitBox?

So to prevent malware infection which is the strongest..use VB, SD or SBIE? And easiest to use?

 

[shmu26]

How's the difference if I install VB and then run Chrome/FF as compared to BitBox?

So to prevent malware infection which is the strongest..use VB, SD or SBIE? And easiest to use?

1 I never used BitBox. But as far as Browser in a Box is concerned, it gives you a ready-made linux virtual machine that is exactly the size of the browser window, no more and no less, so it looks as if you are running your browser natively. And by default it gives you an easy way to retrieve your downloads.

2 SD is a different animal, we can't really compare it to the other two.
SBIE is much more convenient to use than Browser in a Box, and is quite secure, and if you are paranoid, there are guides for tweaking it. I would go for SBIE, and not Browser in a Box .

 

[HarborFront]

1 I never used BitBox. But as far as Browser in a Box is concerned, it gives you a ready-made linux virtual machine that is exactly the size of the browser window, no more and no less, so it looks as if you are running your browser natively. And by default it gives you an easy way to retrieve your downloads.

2 SD is a different animal, we can't really compare it to the other two.
SBIE is much more convenient to use than Browser in a Box, and is quite secure, and if you are paranoid, there are guides for tweaking it. I would go for SBIE, and not Browser in a Box .

But you said you tried it in post #11?

 

[shmu26]

But you said you tried it in post #11?

Sorry for not being clear -- I was referring back to the original subject, not the immediately preceding post.

 

[shmu26]

Sorry for not being clear -- I was referring back to the original subject, not the immediately preceding post.

Okay, let's finally clear things up: BitBox is the same as Browser in the Box. So I did try it, after all.
I didn't know it is the same software.........