So Let's Sandbox The Internet

SO LET'S SANDBOX THE INTERNET - PART ONE OF FOUR

For everyday browsing of the Internet such as reading newspapers, searching, downloading, or just exploring around:

Wouldn't it be nice to sandbox the Internet void of installing sandboxing software or secondary Internet browsers?
With no concern for JavaScript, Java, Flash, Ads, Cookies, Analytics, and the such? And retain the freedom of choice.

Wouldn't it also be nice to close the Internet browser leaving no trace of browsing history on the computers Hard
Disk Drive or the Internet browsers' special or hidden files?

Wouldn't it also be extra nice if the Internet browser did not edit or install Registry Keys or install folders and
files on the computers Hard Disk Drive?

All Internet browsers phone home in one way or another, wouldn't it be super nice if that data sent home was static
information that never changed?

Sure, we can browse the Internet with 'private browsing' or 'incognito mode' or like functions in other Internet
browsers, however, after closing those Internet browsers, eventhough the browsing history is deleted from the file
system, those files still remain on the computers Hard Disk Drive until they are overwritten either by the file
system its self or special wiping software. Some data also remains archived in the Internet browsers files.

Sure, we can install sandboxing software, however, that requires installing yet another software program on the
computer, and yet another software program for the user of the computer to attend to. Also, this approach may exist
the possibility of monitary value in order to achieve full flexability of the sandboxing software.

Sure, we could also install an secondary Internet browser, or expand an portable Internet browser onto an Flash Drive.
Here again, more software to install and maintain, and more monitary value involved by purchase of an Flash Drive.
Also, eventhough the Internet browser may be Portable, there is no way to erase the special or hidden files archived
by the Portable browser unless those files are overwritten to be fresh, clean, and void of data.

Also, some Portable browsers still insist on installing Registry Keys and installing folders and files on the Hard
Disk Drive. Such behavior voids the software of being truly Portable.

So.....is there an way to sandbox the Internet for everyday browsing in read only mode without monitary value or the
need to install software or Internet browsers in the Microsoft Windows Operating System?

.....The answer is YES.....by utilizing an RAM Drive (RAM = Random Access Memory).
An Ram Drive is an virtual Hard Disk Drive created in the already avaliable memory on the Motherboard of the computer.
Once the virtual RAM Drive is created in the avaliable memory, that sector of memory is allocated and treated by the
Operating System as an real Physical Hard Disk Drive complete with drive letter and can be formatted FAT16, FAT32,
or NTFS. (FAT = File Allocation Table - NTFS = New Technology File Syatem).

This virtual RAM Drive remains active and avaliable to the Operating System until the computer is rebooted. When the
computer is rebooted the RAM Drive is erased from the Random Access Memory of the Motherboard and all contents of
the RAM Drive, including the RAM Drive its self, are gone forever, leaving no reminance behind on the physical Hard
Disk Drive(s) of the computer.....clean, secure, and safe. No browsing history, no archived files, no nothing.

When the RAM Drive is recreated from the image taken by the Dataram RAMDisk software, either automatically on each
reboot of the computer, or manually through the software, the RAM Drive and its contents are fresh and clean with no
archived data or traces of previous RAM Disks. The SRWare Iron Portable Internet Browser is also fresh and clean
with no history of any kind.

Continued on Post #2


HKEY1952

 

SO LET'S SANDBOX THE INTERNET - PART TWO OF FOUR

Items needed:

01) Dataram RAMDisk Software (the only installation required)
http://memory.dataram.com/products-and-services/software/ramdisk
-http://memory.dataram.com/__downloads/memory/ramdisk/Dataram_RAMDisk_V3.5.130R20.msi

DataRam RamDisk User Manual
-http://memory.dataram.com/__documents/file/Dataram_User_Manual_35.pdf

02) SRWare Iron Portable Internet Browser (from SRWare only)
http://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron_download.php
-http://www.srware.net/downloads/IronPortable.zip

03) PortableApps.com Platform 1.6.1 (plateform only)
http://portableapps.com/suite
-http://downloads.sourceforge.net/portableapps/PortableApps.com_Platform_Setup_1.6.1.exe


Step One:
Install the Dataram RAMDisk Software
Open the Dataram RAMDisk Configuration Utility
Under the Settings Tab: set the Disk Size to 500 MB and tic the; Unformatted and; Windows boot sector Radio Buttons
Under the Load and Save Tab: untic Load Disk Image at Startup and untic Save Disk Image at Shutdown check boxes
Under the Settings Tab: click the Start RAMDisk Button
After the Unformatted RAM Disk is created close the Dataram RAMDisk Configuration Utility
If prompted to save changes to the Dataram RAMDisk Configuration Utility, choose YES

Step Two:
Format the RAM Disk NTFS in the Microsoft Management Console under the Storage/Disk Management
After the RAM Disk is formatted NTFS close the Microsoft Management Console

Step Three:
Copy the PortableApps.com_Platform_Setup_1.6.1.exe to the root of the RAM Drive and double click to install (expand)
the contents to the root of the Ram Drive. Example, expand to: H:\

Copy and Paste as an Shortcut the StartPortableApps.exe (with bendy arrow) from the RAM Drive root to the Windows
Startup Folder. This action will place the StartPortableApps Icon in the Windows system tray down by the system clock
every time the RAM Disk is recreated giving quick shortcut access to the SRWare Iron Portable Internet Browser.

Step Four:
Expand the entire contents of the SRWare Iron Portable Internet Browser Zip File to the PortableApps Folder of the
RAM Disk. Example, expand to: H:\PortableApps\

Step Five:
By clicking the "Shortcut to Start PortableApps" in the Windows Startup Folder:
Open the SRWare Iron Portable Internet Browser and from the Google Web Store only, install the following Extensions:
Adblock Plus for Google Chrome™ (Beta) 1.1.4
Facebook Disconnect 1.2.1
Ghostery 2.4.0
Google Analytics Opt-out Add-on (by Google) 0.9.0

Step Six:
Configure Adblock Plus Filter Lists by ticking the check boxes for:
Easy List
Fanboy's List
Recommended filters for Google Chrome
Then click the: Update Now Button

Configure Ghostry by ticking all the check boxes except: Enable GhostRank and then be sure to click the Save Button

Close the SRWare Iron Portable Internet Browser

Continued on Post #3


HKEY1952

 

SO LET'S SANDBOX THE INTERNET - PART THREE OF FOUR

It is important to note here that the changes we are about to make are permanent fixed settings in regards to the
RAM Disk Image we will be creating with the Dataram RAMDisk Configuration Utility. Our only purpose here with this
setup is to create an read only browsing environment by sandboxing the Internet.

Everytime we reboot the computer the RAM Disk and the SRWare Iron Portable Internet Browser will be configured with
the settings we make here each and everytime the Dataram RAMDisk software loads the saved image of the RAM Disk.
In otherwords, the RAM Disk and the SRWare Iron Portable Internet Browser will be in an virgin state each and every
time the RAM Disk is created from the Dataram RAMDisk Image. NTFS formatting and all, everything.

As we browse the Internet we can make changes to the SRWare Iron Portable Internet Browser if and when needed, for
example, to allow Cookies for some Web site and so on, however, after reboot, all settings are reset back to our
orginal image we will be creating here.

Step Seven:
Open the SRWare Iron Portable Internet Browser
Create any Bookmarks that you may want or use often, such as an favorite Newspaper

Step Eight:
Click on Wrench\Options

Under Basics:
On startup = Open the Home Page
Home page = Open this Home Page and enter your preferred Home Page
Toolbar = Show Home button and Always show the bookmarks bar
Search = Choose your default search engine
Default browser = SRWare Iron is not currently your default browser.

Under Personal Stuff:
Sync = No Sync
Passwords = Never save passwords
Autofill = Never Enable Autofill to fill out web forms in a single click
Browsing data = Do not import Browsing data
Thems = Keep the default theme

Under, Under the Hood:
Privacy = Enable phishing and malware protection
Web content = Default
Network = Default or set your Proxy Settings
Translate = Never Offer to translate pages that aren't in a language I read
Downloads = Ask where to save each file before downloading and keep the Default Location
HTTPS/SSL = Check for server certificate revocation
Background Apps = Never Continue running background apps when Iron is closed

Also under Privacy\Content Settings Button:
Cookies = Block sites from setting any data, Block third-party cookies from being set,
Clear cookies and other site data when I close my browser

Images = Show all images (recommended) and no Exceptions
JavaScript = Do not allow any site to run JavaScript and no Exceptions
Handlers = Do not allow any site to handle protocols and no Exceptions
Plug-ins = Block all and Disable all Plug-ins by clicking the link: Disable individual plug-ins...
Pop-ups = Do not allow any site to show pop-ups (recommended) and no Exceptions
Location = Do not allow any site to track my physical location and no Exceptions
Notifications = Do not allow any site to show desktop notifications and no Exceptions

Also under Privacy\Clear Browsing Data Button:
From the Drop Down List choose: the beginning of time and tic all the check boxes
Then click the: Clear browsing data Button

Now close all Tabs and Close the SRWare Iron Portable Internet Browser

Continued on Post #4


HKEY1952

 

SO LET'S SANDBOX THE INTERNET - PART FOUR OF FOUR

Step Nine:
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the RAM Drive

Then navigate to: PortableApps\IronPortable\Profile\Default\
Example: H:\PortableApps\IronPortable\Profile\Default\

Now, delete all of the files except for: Bookmarks, Bookmarks.bak, and Preferences
(do not delete any folders only files)

Step Ten:
In the root of the RAM Drive create an folder: RAM_Internet_Files
Example: H:\RAM_Internet_Files

This folder may be used by your default Internet browser by pointing the Temporary Internet Files to this RAM Drive
folder. The benefits are three-fold: One, no Internet cache files are written to the computers Hard Disk Drive, and
Two, when the computer is rebooted or the RAM Disk is closed through the Dataram RAMDisk software, all data is gone,
and Three, Internet Browsing is faster because the data is in pure memory not on an Hard Disk Drive.

Close Windows Explorer

Step Eleven:
Open the Dataram RAMDisk Configuration Utility

Under the Load and Save TAB:
Tic the check box: Disk Label (and leave the default name) "RAMDisk"
Tic the check box: Load Disk Image at Startup (and leave the default location) "C:\RAMDisk.img"
Now click the Button: Save Disk Image Now (and leave the default location) "C:\RAMDisk.img"

After the Dataram RAMDisk Disk Image is complete close the Dataram RAMDisk Configuration Utility and enjoy the
Sandboxed Internet. If prompted to save changes to the Dataram RAMDisk Configuration Utility, choose YES.


NOTE: Anytime changes are made to the SRWare Iron Portable Internet Browser that you wish to preserve, such as an
update to the Adblock Plus for Google Chrome Extension, or Ghostery Extension, or Extensions, or Bookmark, or any
Preferences, or an update to the SRWare Iron Portable Internet Browser its self, or any change to the RAM Disk that
is desired to be preserved, in order to preserve the virginity of the browsing history at Zero (0), you must first
delete all of the files except for: Bookmarks, Bookmarks.bak, and Preferences in:
\PortableApps\IronPortable\Profile\Default\ (not the folders only the files) and then
create an New Image through the Dataram RAMDisk Configuration Utility.

Note also that the Dataram RAMDisk software will create an Backup of the previous image.
The previous image can be deleted if all is well with the new image as each image is at minimum 500 MB, the size
of the RAM Disk. This RAM Disk image will be compressed per setting in the Dataram RAMDisk Configuration Utility.


The Dataram RAMDisk software is Digitally Signed: Monday, September 19, 2011 8:13:50 PM
And is McAfee Online SiteAdvisor Safe:
http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/http://www.dataram.com/

The PortableApps.com Platform 1.6.1 is Digitally Signed: Friday, May 28, 2010 4:09:13 PM
And is McAfee Online SiteAdvisor Safe:
http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/http://www.portableapps.com/

It is strongly recommended to first read the Dataram RAMDisk User Manual and print these four Posts

End of Sandboxing The Internet.....comments welcome.....


HKEY1952

 

Interesting guide, thanks for taking your time.

 

It is interesting.