Power Shadow compared to SandBoxIE

Hey Guys,

I have been using SandBoxIE for a little while now and I really like it.

Very simple to use and very light on system resources. Hopefully very secure.

I've read the long thread about Power Shadow and was wondering how it compared to SandBoxIE.

Is Power Shadow a lot more secure?

I actually downloaded Power Shadow and tried it briefly but it sort of made my system unstable with freeze ups and crashes. Also, I couldn't figure out how to register it.

The "register" button on the programs interface was greyed out. Do you have to register online at their website rather than through the program itself?

Anyways, like I said I really like SandBoxIE but if Power Shadow is a lot more secure or safer to use than I would like to give it another chance.

Thanks

 

You're the first person who has mentioned PowerShadow making their system unstable - so far as I know. Nobody in the other thread on Powershadow has mentioned any conflicts of any kind that I remember anyway. I don't know what to tell you, unless you got a bad download. I've never seen the register button greyed out.

I've loaded and run PS on four different computers, from brand new to five years old, and haven't run into a problem on any of them. The register button has never been greyed out on any of these machines, nor has there been any conflicts of any kind.

You don't have to register at the Powershadow site. In the other thread is the information on registering. Copy and paste, don't type it in. I don't know why that's necessary, but it seems to work better. But, with the button not working, that isn't possible. I'd say remove powershadow completely and try a download from some other place and see what happens. Is your version 2.6?

As for whether Powershadow is better than Sandboxie. I'm prejudiced toward Powershadow, so doubt I could give a fair reply. Both are very good.

 

Chuck,

Thanks for the reply.

I was using Version 2.6.

I just thought that since everyone was really liking Power Shadow so much that maybe it had something more to offer than SandBoxIE.

Definitely made my system unstable and the register button was greyed out.

As you said, maybe a bad download. Maybe I'll try another download.

Thanks

 

You have to start your PC in normal mode, not in Shadow mode. You can't change settings or register during your PC is running in Shadow mode.

 

Tommy,

Thank You. That could be the problem with registration. I believe I had it in Shadow Mode at the time.

I'll try it again and see what happens.

 

sandboxie works great on my system. No conflicts, no slowdown. What is best is that i have the option to run my browser sandboxed or not (k-meleon, check it out, blows away opera as far as speed). Bufferzone had a lot of conficts with my system and powershadow made me really thirsty(drum roll please).

 

Try version 2.82 if 2.6 is unstable. Get it from my sig.

 

(Drum Roll ) Then why not quench that thirst and put Power Shadow on board. It has got to be the simplest shadow/sandbox i ever dealt with including the install. It simply doesn't get more stable or safe then if you were messing with a text file.

At least that's been the experience reported from the majority including my units who all have it in place now.

I always experienced some issues with Sandboxie but about a week ago i thought i had finally hit pay dirt. I used to get issues from Snoopfree up untill the latest version that also went free to my delight, and now it's completely stable where before i always had to uninstall it and wait for an update. Same with Sandboxie except this latest version began to stall my explorer browser again so i jumped off that bandwagon to wait for another update but then along came Chuck57 and his new find of Power Shadow which is cause for a lot of excitement plus complete satisfaction over here.

 

Thanks for the links.

Still trying to figure out what the differences are between SandBoxIE and Power Shadow.

Do they both do basically the same thing, and why would you choose one over the other?

Thanks

 

The best way I can explain the differences, from my perspective, is that Sandboxie is a sandbox. Powershadow is virtualization. It makes a clone of your drive. If it gets infected in some way, you can reboot and every trace of the infection is gone - or you can watch it do its nasty work until you get tired of it and reboot to get rid of it.

It's good for that; it's good if you have kids who can load up a computer with lord only knows what in a days surfing. Reboot and all traces of their mischief is gone. You can use it to test downloaded software prior to putting it on your hard drive. Nothing gets into your registry to clutter it up.

It's similar to shadowuser/surfer, which I tried to use but had problems with. I went looking for something similar, since I consider virtualization a bit safer than sandboxing, and found Powershadow.

I'd feel safe with Sandboxie or Bufferzone, and have Bufferzone and Powershadow both running at this moment, mainly because me wife was reading the posts over my shoulder and wondered what Powershadow was all about. I engaged it to show her.

As to the more detailed differences, Easter or one of the real experts can probably tell you more.

 

Chuck,
Thanks for that explanation.

I also tried Shadowsurfer awhile ago and didn't like that you had to reboot a lot.

SandBoxIE just seems to be so much easier.

I think I'll stick with SandBoxIE for now but I'll keep a close eye on Power Shadow.

Thanks again.

 

Sandboxie is a good one, as is my other personal choice, Bufferzone. I think you will be well served by any of them. Glad I could help you make the choice.

 

PowerShadow much easier to use than sandboxie. One click and a confirmation and that is all. With sandboxie theres more chances for human error IMO.

@ wideglide36 may I ask what is your Operating System, AntiVirus, and or HIPS? Curious as to what makes your system unstable just wanted to see what combo of programs you got running on your box. I ask this cause I can run my gaming programs and tools that could easily BSOD some ones comp while I'm in shadow mode with no problems very stable on my end.

 

One feature Sandboxie has that PowerShadow does not is the ability to deny programs read access. According to the Sandboxie website FAQ:

 

yankin,

Please check my signature for the information about my OS and AV and others.

When I said it made my system unstable I was talking about it causing my pc to freeze and I would have to manually power down the pc. Another time it caused a black screen and then did nothing.

I only used the program for a short time.

As far as Power Shadow being easier to use than SandBoxIE, with SandBoxIE I don't really have to do anything. How can it get any easier than that?

I was mainly concerned in whether Power Shadow was more secure or had a lot more features than SandBoxIE.

Thanks for your response.

 

Very good point.

 

Should they be compared?

I would like some help to clearify that. I thought I knew, but now I am uncertain again.

If I do a full day session with PS in shadow mode as my only security software -browsing - going to the bank - everything. I am not "protected" at all? Keyloggers can install and do there job fully during the shadowed session?

If I do the same browsing unshadowed but with browser untrusted under the protection of Sandboxie or Defensewall or BZ and a keylogger that needs a kernel level driver to work - that keylogger (most of them) will be stopped by Sandboxie or DW or BZ - I will be protected?

I am nonsavvy so please correct me. In the scenario above they shouldnt really be compared - they are complements to oneanother and the optimum is to run all your ordinary security software PS shadowed - then you have the best of two worlds -protection and easy 100% (we still believe so) cleanup. This is presuming all software work as usual under PS shadow.

If you only browse or test new program without any bankpasswords or creditcard numbers or similar being used PS is supreme in such a session because normally the tested programs need to be run as trusted to work - many/most? at least - so to test run them untrusted in the sandbox will not work and when you run them trusted the sandbox doesnt protect your system - PS does - after the reboot you are back to good.

So they must be used as they are intended and you cant down right compare them?

Pls comment.

PS I ran - for a copuple of days - all sessions shadowed and saved to USB stick, but it turned out too impractical for me and my PC-habits so now I only run shadowed when the sisters kids are here browsing or if I feel a session could need an easy cleanup.DS

 

to install app. in shadowmode for testing and then to finish install sometimes you have to reboot and then everything is lost !?!

huupi

 

As I understand it, and I'm a pure novice, keyloggers are free to operate in Powershadow's virtualized drive - so info might get out, which is why people using Powershadow, just as those using Sandboxie or Bufferzone or any other, should still have their av, as, and HIPS programs working. Once you leave Powershadow, every trace of them is gone.

I could be wrong about the above, but I'm pretty sure that since the shadowed drive is a virtual clone, all info is accessible. In addition, the drive can be trashed or totally destroyed by a virus, worm, whatever. When you reboot, though, it's all back to normal. No keylogger, virus, trojan, worm, and everything else you did in shadow mode disappears. Hopefully, someone has checked the above somehow and will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Yup - test shadowed - after reboot all is gone and if you liked the proggie you tested you will have to install it again when not shadowed.

Best Regards

 

everything on your computer goes back to where it was before you went into shadow mode, same as most other virtualization software. You can save what you want to an unshadowed drive like a second hard drive, CD, floppy or other device. To install an app, I haven't found a way to do it and keep the installation in shadow mode yet. I run the app, and then if I want it, put the .exe on my second drive, leave shadow mode and then do the install.

 

That is a good question.
I have not installed games, since I am no gamer, but I understand that those games that are installed into sandbox continue to work from reboot to reboot until that sandbox is cleared by a user decision. So that seems to be the main difference.

From what I have read PS seems to be a very easy nice program and so is also Sandboxie that I run.

 

i read a lot about using powershadow or shadowsurfer/user for installing software. what happens if the software needs to reboot to complete the install?

since shadowing invloves the entire harddrive including My Documents folders, and does not block maleware from functioning within the virtualized drive, is it a good idea to do confidential surfing such as banking shopping?

let's assume a parent actually functions as a parent and monitors/manages child/children internet usage, teaches and enforces responsible surfing. what mess?

random thoughts. i guess one could always powershadow, find some maleware to infect their machines with and watch the train wreck? satisfying and useful indeed.


Mike

 

If you need to reboot your new software, it will all be gone. Been there and tried that. As for confidential banking, etc, I don't do anything anywhere involving anything confidential online, even before I found Powershadow. I just don't trust anyplace to be absolutely totally secure. When kids can break into the FBI, National labs, and compromise banking institutions and other places, I'm not putting my info out there. If they saw my bank account, they'd probably feel sorry for me and leave me alone, anyway.

For those who do the above, being in shadow mode is no different than not being in shadow mode. If you have security software in place, it's in place in shadow mode. No difference, except that when you leave, if you didn't save what you learned onto a cd or someplace else, it will be gone.

 

hey Chuck, i am merely reflecting what people claim the value of these "full service" sandbox programs are. as i see it it's usless for testing software as most apps these days do require a reboot to complete, and powershadow and others will simply evaporate the app.

and incidently i am a licensed user of Shadow User, tried Shadowsurfer but i wanted to be able to save the stuff i installed/downloaded, which the Surfer version does not allow.

in ShadowUser you can save an installation before rebooting, but how useful is that? it can't be run to evaluate, if it does indeed require a reboot. if you don't save it you'll lose it. wtf!

it does not seem to be a good idea to surf shadowed as the entire volume is exposed to keylogs and other pilfering maleware. sure any changes will be wiped as you come out of shadow, but your confidential info is at risk of compromise until then. Shadowuser at least does allow exclusion folders, and both Powershadow and Shadowuser/surfer allow partitioning. if your box is already set-up as...fine, otherwise appears to me to be a lot of bother for minimal advantages.

i am not necessarily knocking these apps as i mentioned, i sacrificed $70 bucks to the virtualization lords, i am just now wondering why?

Sandboxie which i also have installed (have not and probably will not attempt to run them together) and it gives me what i in my advanced age crave....choices. i run what i want sandboxed, when i want it for as long as i want. although Sandboxie does not allow the loading of services, so the installation of major apps within a sandboxie is not possible it is very good for running minor stuff in like docs, zipped files, P2P sandboxed, and other common sources of nusainces in.

a big plus for me is stuff remains in the sandbox, until it's deliberately reteived or deleted without needing a reboot. and quick recover is ridiculously simple. even i haven't botched to date

is it the most secure....no. i think Bufferzone, Defensewall, Powershadow, Shadowuser/surfer are stronger containment virtualizations, but i do still employ other security measures as in a strong AV, AS, FW, and HIPS to hopefully corral escaped boogaloos. and an added plus is the developer, Tzuk, is flat on it. this guy is totally commited to the development/improvement of Sandboxie, and for me that counts alot. timely support and answers/resolutions are his forte, and each of the 3 upgrades i have personally installed of Sandboxie have been better than the previous one.


Mike