What is Reddit's opinion of
Windows Sandbox?
From 3.5 billion Reddit comments
38 reviews of this app found across Reddit:
In Windows 10 and 11 is a feature called windows sandbox. It’s like a vm but lighter weight en when you close it, it trows away the vm. So every time you get a clean vm. I use it for testing a application, if it has malware I can throw away the whole vm.
> There are some pretty good guides on how to set up a Windows 10 machine in Virtualbox
You don't even need to do that anymore. Windows 10 now has a new feature called "Sandbox" it's a disposable psuedo VM. As soon as you close it, it erases all the data related to it.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Kernel-Internals/Windows-Sandbox/ba-p/301849
It's designed literally for this kind of situation.
No experience myself but just wanted to point out that the next W10 build will have a built in sandbox mode:
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Kernel-Internals/Windows-Sandbox/ba-p/301849
Windows 10 now also comes with a sandbox, for if you have suspicious things you want to try first (e.g. a keygen)
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-kernel-internals/windows-sandbox/ba-p/301849
The real shame is Microsoft arbitrarily hiding this behind a pro license instead of home
You're quite right! I'm sorry, I misread your comment and thought you were asking about 1903 itself.
​
Here's a Microsoft Tech Community article describing the Sandbox feature: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Kernel-Internals/Windows-Sandbox/ba-p/301849. This portion in particular may be relevant:
>1. Install Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise, Insider build 18305 or newer
>
>2. Enable virtualization:
>
>• If you are using a physical machine, ensure virtualization capabilities are enabled in the BIOS.
>
>• If you are using a virtual machine, enable nested virtualization with this PowerShell cmdlet:
>
>• Set-VMProcessor -VMName <VMName> -ExposeVirtualizationExtensions $true
​
The feature's only available for Pro and Enterprise, not Home, and you'll have to have virtualization enabled in your BIOS.
While I don't like discouraging content creation, I do also have to point out that this article already exists, directly from Microsoft:
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-kernel-internals/windows-sandbox/ba-p/301849
The MS article is more thorough, provides a better set of use cases, a pictorial quick start, optional technical details, and (no offense) is an overall easier read due to its better grammar.
If you want to write an article on something Hyper-V related that MS hasn't thoroughly documented yet, I'd love to read it! GPU-P comes to mind as a prime candidate.
If your host machine is Windows 10, there's not a whole lot you necessarily need to set up with regards to the networking. Assuming you're not running some ancient version of Windows 10, the "default" vSwitch created by Hyper-V when you install the role is of the "NAT" type. Any VM you create and connect to it should connect out to the internet without a problem.
Unless you have a specific need to have the TEST vm connected to the same network, then you don't need to work with an External network.
Also, did you look into just working with Windows Sandbox for your purposes?
Take a look here for more info. I'm assuming Sandboxie said fuck it once Microsoft included one in the OS and I'm sure its much better.
It affects anything that leverages hardware virtualization. And that includes hardware accelerated sandboxes.
> Meaning basically zero impact on desktop or hedt productivity '
It's a side channel attack. Considering the host of other ones that have been found. And with Google disabling HT in chromebooks by default - I would suspect that this goes a little further then JUST VM's - with VM's and commercial VM hosts being the most susceptible to this attack, but not the only ones.
If you have Win10 Pro I think the the Sandbox feature might be what you're looking for, assuming audio/video devices can be used from it. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-kernel-internals/windows-sandbox/ba-p/301849
>vGPU in Windows sandbox is just a software virtual GPU.
I'm not sure that's right. Every source I can find says disabling vGPU causes Sandbox fall back to software rendering, whereas enabling vGPU allows Sandbox to take advantage of the hardware GPU:
>This enables the Windows Sandbox VM to benefit from hardware accelerated rendering, with Windows dynamically allocating graphics resources where they are needed across the host and guest. The result is improved performance and responsiveness for apps running in Windows Sandbox, as well as improved battery life for graphics-heavy use cases.
>
>To take advantage of these benefits, you’ll need a system with a compatible GPU and graphics drivers (WDDM 2.5 or newer). Incompatible systems will render apps in Windows Sandbox with Microsoft’s CPU-based rendering technology.
From here: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-kernel-internals/windows-sandbox/ba-p/301849
Check out Windows 10 Sandbox. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-kernel-internals/windows-sandbox/ba-p/301849
Is Windows Sandbox an option?
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-kernel-internals/windows-sandbox/ba-p/301849
Never used it, but it's like running Windows from a Live DVD. Isolated, wiped on a restart.
Please exercise due caution when downloading random applications off the internet that require administrator privileges to run/install.
This thread is getting popular and I know some of us are so desperate for anything new that we'll leap on the first thing we see. Just be careful.
Read up on Windows Sandbox for one way of testing it while being safe: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-kernel-internals/windows-sandbox/ba-p/301849
Hello All,
For several months I have been working on a library to execute scripts inside windows sandbox using C#.
I would love to get your opinion on it. The name of the library is ScoopBox and I just published it on nuget.
ScoopBox launch Windows Sandbox with preinstalled applications.
Basically ScoopBox takes advantage of LogonCommand and Command parts of the windows sandbox configuration. The library automates building the configuration file and generates a base script which is executed inside the sandbox.
Next I will build a CLI tool using the library and I will publish it as a dotnet package.
Windows Sandbox: Windows Sandbox is a new lightweight desktop environment tailored for safely running applications in isolation.
Do you have Win10 at home?
If you do - enable Sandbox Win10.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-kernel-internals/windows-sandbox/ba-p/301849
​
It will spin up a VM with Win10 on it - go download the software through the VM... Camera MAY not work though - but mic did last time I used it.
once you are done, you close the VM and the data is cleaned and removed.
I've been wondering what programs like this would do if they were run inside a Windows 10 Sandbox... Someone should test it out... for science.
OP are you running Windows 10?
You could look at something called Windows Sandbox which lets you run applications inside a sandbox, but when you close the sandbox everything in it is destroyed. Sandbox is now generally available so you should be able to enable it, assuming you have the latest version/updates of Win10 Pro/Education/Ent
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-windows-sandbox-windows-10-may-2019-update
https://www.howtogeek.com/399290/how-to-use-windows-10s-new-sandbox-to-safely-test-apps/
Bit more detail: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-kernel-internals/windows-sandbox/ba-p/301849
> anyway of doing it natively
Fix the app by changing file/reg permissions, or using a shim.
Alternatively, use the Windows Sandbox feature https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-kernel-internals/windows-sandbox/ba-p/301849
Both are native.
I Just used windows 10's built in Sand Box to install the program in the virtual system. I then copied the main Roccat folder in the Program Files (x86) on the virtual system and pasted it onto my desktop.
I then drag it into my Windows 10 Program Files (x86) folder and launched the program and it now running. I will have make a shortcut and put into my start up folder if I want it to launch on boot.
What a joke the application design is....
I'm going to preface this with......don't cheat, do the work.
That said If I was going to try to get around it, use Windows Sandbox, run the test on the sandbox, you can have a small window that would look like a regular pc to them, then outside the sandbox you can have your notes on the same screen. So the eye tracking will look like you're looking at the monitor still.
How to Sandbox here
Windows 10 built in Sandbox: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-kernel-internals/windows-sandbox/ba-p/301849
VAC only seems to need ring 3/userspace access to be effective (enough, I'm sure there's tons of ways to get around it): https://github.com/Zer0Mem0ry/KernelBhop
I don't see why others need more access, especially when it seems like running a game sandboxed inside a Windows Container (as Microsoft uses in the sandbox feature in Windows 10) where another user couldn't read into the container would also be a solution (although maybe there's still away around that, but Microsoft would probably resolve that security flaw to make the sandbox secure).
Although security is only really a hobby for me, so I don't know if my logic is sound (although it seems to be fairly true on Linux with LXC containers).
Yes, it can quarantine and delete files that it thinks as dangerous, can't tell for sure if it was its doing.
I think if you did everything seriously in the thread, you are more than okay.
But yes, if you're really scared, you will have to just go for a clean reinstall, unfortunately.
For the future, or if you want to try the file again, you can use Windows Sandbox feature, which is a really great way to test if exe, pdf or anything is dangerous without harming your computer because you will be running a file in a container that is isolated from your computer.
Check it out https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-kernel-internals/windows-sandbox/ba-p/301849
>uses hardware-based virtualization for kernel isolation, which relies on the Microsoft’s hypervisor to run a separate kernel which isolates Windows Sandbox from the host
>Windows Sandbox builds on the technologies used within Windows Containers.
taken form: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-kernel-internals/windows-sandbox/ba-p/301849
I can't see how it provides any extra security than a regular VM created with Hyper-V
Depending on your current version of Windows, you can use the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and/or Windows Sandbox.
WSL might be helpful to learn a good amount. Load up the distro(s) of choice and run them pretty seamlessly in Windows. Sandbox is good for security testing.
In lieu of that, I prefer a standard VM as opposed to dual booting or having something on USB. You give up the full dedication of resources, but it's easier to manage and you can stay in the more-familiar environment.
A temporary virtual machine is usually enough protection and here is one designed for that purpose:
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Kernel-Internals/Windows-Sandbox/ba-p/301849
If you are running 1903 look up feature Windows Sandbox.
If this is turned on then it's using hyper-v underneath to isolate applications. VMWare can't work with hyper-v installed.
Windows has a handy (newish) feature that could help out the next time you're downloading sketchy files from the internet.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Kernel-Internals/Windows-Sandbox/ba-p/301849
may be worth including in the next one - Windows Sandbox included in 1903 update. Haven't seen much mentioned about it
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Kernel-Internals/Windows-Sandbox/ba-p/301849
It does what Sandboxie does using VM (Hyper-V) technology. Apps that you wish to test run inside an isolated virtual environment that is completely destroyed upon exit. A clever internals architecture keeps the overhead lower than for a full VM:
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Kernel-Internals/Windows-Sandbox/ba-p/301849
You can snapshot it. It's based on hyper-v, so the same capabilities are present. You can also game in it, as hyper-v supports vGPU allocation via RemoteFX. It just needs to be created as a gen 2 image to be able to use an 'enhanced session'. Not sure why you'd want to game in a Sandbox instance though when you could just create a normal hyper-v instance.
You need Windows Pro edition I just noticed.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Kernel-Internals/Windows-Sandbox/ba-p/301849
What about running in a VM? I know it's not foolproof, but have you considered it?
You might also consider Sandboxie and Windows Sandbox (only available in Windows 10 Pro insider builds so far.)
Further to this, there's a new Windows 10 sandbox feature you can experiment with: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Kernel-Internals/Windows-Sandbox/ba-p/301849
Ok, this adds much needed info from the other post. Look into giving them an isolated VM using Hyper-V which is free on Windows 10. Or, looking into the new feature called Windows Sandbox
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Kernel-Internals/Windows-Sandbox/ba-p/301849
​
More resaearch:
Seems like itch.io has a sandbox mode available in preferences. https://itch.io/docs/itch/using/sandbox.html
Windows 10 pro also has a sandbox option: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Kernel-Internals/Windows-Sandbox/ba-p/301849
And there's a number of sandbox apps https://www.maketecheasier.com/best-sandbox-applications-windows10/