Sandboxie adds a new layer of security to the Windows operating system as it can run programs in a sandboxed environment so that they cannot manipulate data outside of that box. That’s the basic concept and it comes in handy in numerous occasions like executing downloaded programs in the sandbox to protect the rest of the system from them, enhanced privacy as the browser cache and website history stays in the sandboxed environment or running all Internet applications in the sandbox so that malware cannot affect the rest of the computer system.
Installation
Sandboxie is compatible with lots of 32-bit Windows operating systems including Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP. A 64-bit edition is not planned but 64-bit Windows 7 operating systems can run Sandboxie in Windows XP mode.
Installation itself takes less than a minute and ends with the display of the Sandboxie Control interface which is used to run and configure Sandboxie.
Sandboxie review
The Sandboxie interface consists of a menu bar on top and a larger area that lists the configured sandboxes. These sandboxes can either display the programs that have been started in a sandbox or the files and folders that are currently accessible in those sandboxes.
New programs can be launched in sandboxes in numerous ways including the Sandbox menu at the top of Sandboxie control or a right-click on the program icon in the Windows system tray (there are automated ways but more about that later). Another handy option is that programs can be launched in a sandbox with a right-click in Windows Explorer which is for example handy when installing new software.
The default web browser and email program can be started from the shortcuts offered in the Sandboxie menu. Other programs can be launched by browsing for them using the file browser or the start menu which is displayed in a minimalistic menu if the option is selected by the user.
Every sandboxed program window will displays a # at the beginning of the window which indicates to the user that the program is running in a sandboxed environment. The Is Window Sandboxed option in the File menu can also be used to check if a specific window is running sandboxed.
Data that is created in a sandbox stays in the sandbox. This can be temporary files, cookies, documents that are created or saved files from the Internet. It would not be very practical if there was not a way to exchange files between the sandbox and the rest of the computer system.
Sandboxie provides two options on how to deal with those files.
- Explore Contents: It is possible to launch a Windows Explorer window that gets access to the sandboxed files. This can be done by right-clicking a sandbox and selecting Explorer Contents. The same option is also available in the top menu under each sandbox entry.
- Quick Recovery: Quick Recovery, when executed by the user, automatically scans specific folders (My Documents, Desktop and Favorites) for files that have been created. These files can be recovered by the user to the same folder (of the normal system) or to any folder. There is also an option to add another folder to the list so that its contents are scanned as well.
- Immediate Recovery: An automated version of Quick Recovery which will automatically display a dialog if a new file has been discovered in one of the monitored folders.
Programs in a sandbox can be terminated by closing their program window, right-clicking them in the sandboxie control window. There is another option to close all programs at once that are running in the sandbox.
Each sandbox comes with its own custom set of options. All start with the same options at the beginning and can be customized by the user of the computer system.
This ranges from appearance changes (display a border around sandboxed windows instead of the # indicator), recovery options to add or remove monitored folders, force programs to start in the sandbox which will automatically launch selected programs in a sandboxed environment whenever they are started, restrictions (Internet access, hardware access..) and Resource access (files, registry, IPC, COM..)
And then there are application specific options that make it a little bit easier to work with Sandboxie. Observant users might have noticed that it can be difficulty to run specific programs that require write access like a desktop email client that wants to add the new emails to the mailbox. Sandboxie by default would prevent those write operations. That’s where the application specific settings come into play. Sandboxie provides those settings for web browsers, email readers, pdf and printing, security and privacy, download managers and many more. A lot of programs are listed in that menu from Internet browsers like Internet Explorer or Firefox to security programs like Kaspersky Internet Security or Norton Internet Security to Adobe Acrobat, Evernote and 7-zip.
An option to configure additional custom program rights is provided as well.
Verdict
Sandboxie is an indispensable program that protects a computer system effectively from harm. It is ideal for users who test new applications regularly, download files, spend lots of time on the Internet or simply want to protect their privacy by preventing write operations of temporary data to the computer system.
Christmas Giveaway
We have ten licenses of Sandboxie to give away. Please leave a comment and explain why you would like to win a license.
Raju is handing out licenses of JV16 Powertools 2009 today.
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Sandboxie is a useful tool and I like to use it. It is a nice Christmas present for me.
I tried a freeware similar software, but it didn’t worked for me, i’d like to try this one!
Hi,
I perform a lot of software testing and would like very much a sandboxie license to be able to do this without endangering my XP system.
Thanks.
I have free Sandboxie and I allways use it.
I will very happy if i will get full Sandboxie.
I will be glad to try it
I download and install many programs to try. Sometimes mess up pc & have to reformat. Sandboxie will help me out.
Adding an extra layer of protection on the pc, will enhance its security.
To be true ,i have never heard about this sort of application,would like to have one licence so that it would make one more software test and would create a secured layer in my OS ,cause i download lots of files and surf the net excessively.
with lots of thanks
i hope win a license
great give away
I download a lot of software, for example giveawayofthe day
with sandbox and even if the software creates the problem or it’s shell
It installs in a virtual environment, without affecting my system
count me in
I have to share my computer with my little brother who likes to click on links without any caution and because of this, he keeps getting the computer infected. A license for Sandboxie would really help me out.
Thanks,
Sophie.
Fantastic.Great Giveaway.i Hope be a winner.
I’m trying a lot of software, so this app is gonna be useful for me.
Thanks
What can i say about sandboxie? Simply the best security program. Thank you for this.
I’d love to try the sandbox approach to computer security. Sign me up, please.
I have used Geswall for a while now as a browser virtualiser, but I would like to give Sandboxie a try as it seems to have more options than Geswall, which is an all-or-nothing type of solution. I like that Sandboxie allows for more flexibility and choice. So please count me in for this one! Thanks!
I really like the concept of this software, i hope this time i’ll get the license. For me who likes to test new software, the combination of sandboxie and returnil will definitely create an error free pc.
I have used Sandboxie free before and it worked great. I would love to have this. Thanks.
this is a must have to seclude software to try and test programs . I need this.Pls use my name .
I write free software reviews in my blog, so I have to install a lot of software in my computer and sandboxie will help me write reviews without harm my pc =D
I like to protect my laptop by using this software to isolate firefox and run it when I am on WiFi, so i would love to have this for my personal use instead of the nag screen hitting me whenever I close it.Thanks.
How can there only be 19 responses? This is one of the best piece of software EVER made!
I used this software for at least a year! And I really want the “nag”-screen away! I properly see the nag-screen at least 1 time every day for the last year ~30,4minutes on the nag-screen! Please give me the license so I don’t need to wait another 30,4 minutes the next year!
for safe browsing and also for testing of some softwares in the sandboxing enviroenement have been using the sandboxie free version in my note book .
Very useful software. It will add a security layer to the applications in my windows7 box.
Thanks for this offer. Hope I win a license.
I use the free version of this and recommend it to everyone I talk to computers about so a Licence would be great.
I also use it to test software, hoping for a license.
Great software for testing various programs. Thank you
Thanks a lot for your efforts.
I really want to be able to have a license of this nice app.
I pray for a good luck
I used sandboxie for more than 2 years and it never miss from my computer though I do believe in other security tools like firewall, antivirtus etc. Sandboxie is the first program come to my mind when I want to browse website, install or open a not so known file. everything is so handy with the recovery option available.I can restore only the file I need to a special folder. unlike kaspersky safe run which has the similar function like sandboxie, sandboxie provides more customize option, even with user account control switched on. Besides, sandboxie can automatically detect compatibility issue(if there is any) automatically and adjust itself. the resource usage is small. Though I am currently using it’s free version which is open for those who use for personally use only after 30 days(as I am), I would certainly hope to win a license for this superb software.It just guarantee safer browsing experience.everything running under sandboxie, even by installation of software can be deleted easily with the delete content option available.I can browse safely under sandboxie as the infection of virus under sandboxed browser would not affect my computer,this proved to be important especially when antivirus could not detect every virus.
Hi, I used the trail version of Sandboxie and found that the application is light in the usage of memory, has clear understandable interface, can isolate rogue software within minutes rather than spending hours finding and removing the software. So I hope I win one so that I can continue using this great software.
Hope I win one.
Thanks