Advice Request Sandboxie and a Browser to Use for just Safe Browsing

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SearchLight

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Jul 3, 2017
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I have used Sandboxie off and on for several years when Ronan Tzur the original creator was selling lifetime licenses.

Although I like the concept, I always wound up uninstalling it because of various complications it would present with Chrome and/or Firefox despite making the required adjustments within the settings to compensate.

What I would like to use is a plain browser whether it be Chromium or Mozilla based with no add-ons that would be secure, along with Sandboxie to just browse without complications, and not for any other important purposes. For important purposes, I use either Brave or Libre Wolf.

Have any of you ever tried such a combination, and what browser would you recommend to pair along side with Sandboxie. Btw, would you you use the old GUI updated version of Sandboxie or the newer version with the newer GUI?

Thanks in advance.
 

plat

Level 29
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Sep 13, 2018
1,793
These are good questions and I'm a basic user myself so I can share some personal uses but that's about it.

I've used Sandboxie since the Sophos days myself, and I can tell you with clear conscience that SBIE has never run better. I use the Plus variant but the developer still makes the Classic UI and keeps it updated. So, if you're used to the Classic yellow Pizza style, it's still available. Different UIs, same protection.

I use Firefox only, boxed and with uBlock Origin (I never go without it). Sandboxie will not prevent ads and whatnot so uBO is a must-have for me. Firefox has been rock-stable with the latest SBIE v.1.0.17. My only issue: sometimes the UI opens to the desktop when I launch Firefox, but that's a minor thing and I'm unsure whether others experience this also. I also update Firefox and my ext. outside of the box.

The developer has enhanced the security of Sandboxie considerably since he took it over as open source. You can read his various changes on GitHub.
If anything, it's easy to demo and if you're not happy, it's just as easy to de-install.
 

SearchLight

Level 13
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Jul 3, 2017
625
These are good questions and I'm a basic user myself so I can share some personal uses but that's about it.

I've used Sandboxie since the Sophos days myself, and I can tell you with clear conscience that SBIE has never run better. I use the Plus variant but the developer still makes the Classic UI and keeps it updated. So, if you're used to the Classic yellow Pizza style, it's still available. Different UIs, same protection.

I use Firefox only, boxed and with uBlock Origin (I never go without it). Sandboxie will not prevent ads and whatnot so uBO is a must-have for me. Firefox has been rock-stable with the latest SBIE v.1.0.17. My only issue: sometimes the UI opens to the desktop when I launch Firefox, but that's a minor thing and I'm unsure whether others experience this also. I also update Firefox and my ext. outside of the box.

The developer has enhanced the security of Sandboxie considerably since he took it over as open source. You can read his various changes on GitHub.
If anything, it's easy to demo and if you're not happy, it's just as easy to de-install.
Sound like a good combo. I may try it: New Sandboxie GUI version + FF with UbO. Thanks.
 

Antimalware18

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Jan 17, 2014
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I haven't used Sandboxie since about '08

I've been looking into it more and more as maybe being able to add it to the arsenal. but is it compatible with Edge? and are AV's nowdays (I remember some back in '08 couldnt) scan inside of the container instead of when you recover files?
 

HarborFront

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Oct 9, 2016
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Can try alternative like WDAG extension in your browser. It opens ME Edge without extensions

I tried SB on and off before but have some issues with browsers. So stopped using it long time back.

Now I'm trying Avast Premium Security with its sandbox feature
 

bjm_

Level 14
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May 17, 2015
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I haven't used Sandboxie since about '08
I've been looking into it more and more as maybe being able to add it to the arsenal. but is it compatible with Edge? and are AV's nowdays (I remember some back in '08 couldnt) scan inside of the container instead of when you recover files?
Edge sbox is my daily rider.
Norton 360 is my daily rider.
Norton communicates inside my Edge sbox.

Sandboxie may not play well with some security solutions/features.
for example:
https://github.com/sandboxie-plus/Sandboxie/issues/1749
https://github.com/sandboxie-plus/Sandboxie/issues/1701
https://github.com/sandboxie-plus/Sandboxie/issues/1545
https://github.com/sandboxie-plus/Sandboxie/issues/1449
https://github.com/sandboxie-plus/Sandboxie/issues/647

Issues
https://github.com/sandboxie-plus/Sandboxie/issues
Known Conflicts
https://github.com/sandboxie-plus/sandboxie-docs/blob/main/Content/SandboxieKnownConflicts.md

Also for improved reliability you can check the downloads on the project homepage: Downloads | Sandboxie-Plus where only known good builds are posted about a week or two after the GitHub release. (credit: DavidXanatos)

Pre-release builds are test builds and may contain errors. It is not recommended to deploy Pre-release builds to clients, customers, or on mission critical systems. They are for testing only. (credit: DavidXanatos)
 
Last edited:

n8chavez

Level 17
Well-known
Feb 26, 2021
806
I would never, ever, use a browser that is not forced isolated with SBIE to a ram drive. I mean, that's just dumb. Now, as far as Firefox addons go, the less addons you use the better; because it limits the potential attack surface. There are only two that I must use; uBo and violentmonkey. With those the benefits outweigh the risk. In Firefox/Waterfox you can tweak about:config preferences so that the need for man privacy/security extensions is not needed. The same cannot be said for anything chrome based, at least to the same extent.
 
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SearchLight

Level 13
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Jul 3, 2017
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Some have also suggested using Virtual Machine or Shadow Defender software which also provide isolation but when I have used them, I either found them cumbersome or that they slowed down my PC because I did not have enough RAM. For now, I am trying the SB+FF combo.

Do research, and see what works best for you.
 

n8chavez

Level 17
Well-known
Feb 26, 2021
806
If you don't have ther RAM, then at least use another partition that has no other purpose then to act as a sandbox.
 

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