Sandboxie's Source Code has been released
Sophos, the company that acquired the Sandboxie sandboxing software and technology from Invincea in 2017, has released the source code of the application to the public.
Sandboxie, which was created by Ronan Tzur, was first released as a tool to sandbox Microsoft's Internet Explorer back in 2004. The program's functionality was expanded over the years so that Windows users could use it to sandbox all Windows applications.
Sophos turned Sandboxie into a freeware application in 2019 and promised that it would release the source code of the application later. The time has come and Sandboxie's code is now available for download. Interested users may download it from the official website here.
Tip: How to use Sandboxie for browsing, downloading and installing programs
Sophos published a FAQ that answers some of the questions that existing and new users of Sandboxie may have. The company notes that it in communication with "members of the community" to make Sandboxie available "through an open source project to the community".
The latest version of Sandboxie that Sophos has created is Sandboxie 5.33.3 for Windows 7, 8.1, and 10. All features reserved for commercial versions of Sandboxie have been made available in that release; in other words, Sandboxie has been turned into a freeware. The source code version is 5.40 according to the filename.
Updates, e.g. bug fixes or improvements, need to be made through the community or other parties that use the code to continue development. Sophos plans to shut down the license server on June 1st, 2020 and the Sandboxie community forum on the same day.
The company will keep the website open at that time but has plans to close the website (and thus the official download of Sandboxie) in Fall 2020. By then, it is necessary that the community has taken over the project (on a different site).
Instructions on compiling the source are provided. Sophos notes that Sandboxie's driver needs to be signed and that Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 is required to compile the code.
Closing Words
I'd would be great if community members would create a development team to maintain Sandboxie and release new versions of the sandboxing software.
Now You: What is your take on the development? (via Deskmodder)
You are aware, aren’t you, that David Xanatos is a Disney villain character? (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Xanatos) If this developer is trying to inspire confidence, it seems like an odd choice to name himself after an evil CEO who seeks to rule the world. I’m just saying. :?O
No worries, as you can trust him.
don’t forget YARA and SNORT!
Already a “new” developer, with fixes and upgrade v5.40.1 (released 10-Apr-2020)
Github
Xanasoft / Sandboxie
https://github.com/xanasoft/Sandboxie/releases
13-Apr-2020
DavidXanatos is pretty active places like wilderssecurity and mydigitallife so I trust his edit.
@ Trey :)
Thanks for the feedback …
@ FileScrotum
Comparing Revouninstaller with SandBoxie is like comparing saws with hammers.
They are not remotely similar … different tools for different jobs.
Revo will not stop a mischievious attack.
Sandboxing is a container to insulate your PC operating system (OS) from dangerous programs, while you test the new program inside the sandbox.
REVO is an excellent uninstaller, not a sandbox.
SandBoxie is an exellent test-bed, not an uninstaller.
With SandBoxie if you dont like the program being tested … a crap UI, or too many bugs, or it contains malware you simply “Exit” the “temporary instance” of SandBoxie.
No uninstaller needed.
I use both Revo PRO and SandBoxie … they are both essentals in my IT toolbox.
For Linux – firejail (https://firejail.wordpress.com/) – among other things
Good on Sophos to go through with their promise and not abandoning Sandboxie.
It really is one of a kind program in terms of usefulness and ease of use, it’d be a damn shame to lose something like that. Hopefully it gets a proper second life with the help of opensource community but driver signing makes it a bit trickier I suppose.
FileScrotum, are you kidding?
All these uninstallers undo actions following very basic templates. Their developers just hardcode a big list of places to clean, so their use is absurdly limited. These program don’t provide any security guarantees. So, the situation is completely the opposite:
Sandboxie => no need for Revo Uninstaller and similar products.
Hi Coolonline,
I thought when I used REVO uninstaller to install and run a program it tracks any registry and file system changes and saves them in a file.
There is a rather deep registry scan afterwards that you can look through, if required.
I have been able to uninstall pretty much anything with it.
If you don’t use it to install a program then yes, I agree, it uses a template but I thought it was different in it’s installer mode…
I am pretty careful using keygens and only use them in VMware.
Regards
i find sandboxie an easy-to-use, must-use all the time program. once set up to your preferences, its simple, hardly noticed and works correctly all the time. downloads are easy to virus check and keep or delete as wanted. you only have to use the interface very rarely. i have used the program for many years and never have had the slightest problem with my win7pro pc(s) so rare to find a program that just works all the time and the new, pro version is great as i can now have multiple sandboxes with one to segregate google so it can spy on itself…and others for banking, stock tickers, emailing and surfing….sooo easy and just works and is free…gees, what more do you want!!
I recall using Sandboxie way back in my MS Windows days. Their icon always reminded me of a slice of pizza. ðŸ•
that has an entirely different use case, sandboxie is much better for say installing some trial program that you want to test once, see what it does, then delete it without ever having to let it gain access to the rest of your system (works pretty great for keygens and other such software too)
Was never the same since Tzuk left his brilliant program.
Revo Uninstaller pro ( and similar products ) = no need for Sandboxie.
Revo and Sandboxie are very different. Revo doesn’t isolate installs and running programs from your main OS. Sandboxie is great for trying out new apps safely and 100% removing them. Changes to filesystem and registry are made only in the sandbox and are easily sorted through to find changes. It’s a quick and easy solution when you don’t need an entire VM running.
Sophos has been acquired by Thoma Bravo, a private equity firm focused on the software and technology-enabled services sectors, in a cash transaction that values Sophos at approximately $3.9 billion.
https://www.commsbusiness.co.uk/news/thoma-bravo-completes-3-9bn-acquisition-of-sophos/
I wouldn’t trust Sophos anymore.
The real question is what did Sophos achieve buying the Sandboxie.
Sophos acquired Invincena which in turn owned Sandboxie, probably more interested in other company assets.
Maybe someone can take this over, get rid of the offending, childish, kinky interface, and make it easy to use. I’m not holding my breath.
What a weird move… They bought out the previous developer, made the program freeware, then open source and now they abandoned the project and shut down the servers…
@Anonymous
This only seems weird because you don’t know all that’s going on, which is a common mistake by know-it-alls who know all too little.
So, in Windows, I know of 3 free sandbox software: Sandboxie, Windows 10 sandbox, and the one in 360 TS.
And then there’s VMs.
Hmm.
released version 5.40.1… 2 hours ago
“This release is build from the original sources as released by Sophos, using VS2015, the only modifications made is an repaired encoding in SbieControl.rc”
https://github.com/DavidXanatos/Sandboxie/releases
great, hopefully the community is willing to step up because this software is fantastic.
Agree. Sophos ended up with it and it languished. Good for them releasing the source. If anything hopefully more eyes can make it as secure as possible.