Avast Pro 7

Anyone using Avast Pro 7 or AIS 7? If so do you find you can place a browser to be sandboxed, and remove it when desired?
Jerry

 

Do you mean a running instance of the browser?
If so, it's not possible. A process either starts sandboxed (and stays in the sandbox until it terminates) or starts outside of the sandbox, and there's no way to move it into the sandbox.

Thanks
Vlk

 

I appreciate your response.
However, my problem involves the browser. I was running Pro 7 and selected the option in Browser Protection to run IE 9 sandboxed. Having done that I was unable to stop IE from running sandboxed. I thought that unchecking the box would cause IE to the previous status of not running sandboxed.

I was unable to prevent IE from running sandboxed, and subsequently had to remove Pro, which I was running as a trial. I replaced it with AIS, which I am not running in the trial mode.

I submitted a ticket with support, but the answer pertained to applications running in the sandbox, and I guess I was not clear that I wanted to know how to place a browser to run sandboxed and then remove it from being sandboxed.

I have replied to the email from support, but don't know what will be returned.

My sig shows what I am running.

Regards, and thanks again.
Jerry

 

I am testing another product at the moment but getting ready to reload AIS when I am done typing this message. When I had AIS loaded up until a few weeks ago, I never experienced the behavior you describe. My browsers never got stuck in sandbox mode. I was always able to start and end single sessions or put them permanently into sandbox mode and then take them out.

I had other problems, however, such as inability to get IE to do anything when sandboxed and constant crashing of Chrome when exiting sandbox. I will now reinstall AIS and see if I am still having trouble. I love the Safe Zone functionality and actually use it way more than the sandbox feature.

I am running Windows 7 with IE 9 and the latest build of Chrome.

 

Thanks, Hamlet.
I had problems with both IE and Chrome. Firefox runs OK in the sandbox, and I like the additional security of the sandbox.

I was unable to browse with IE sandboxed, and could not remove it from being sandbox on either of my computers. I removed Kaspersky from my laptop because I can surf from the Safezone and have the sandbox option in FF. I am hoping that Avast will provide a fix so that I can print from Safezone. I am able to print from the sandboxed FF.

I am persuaded that the combination of Safezone and sandbox gives me about as much security as I can get with my applications.

Thanks, and let's see how AIS does for you.

Regards,
Jerry

 

Ok, I reinstalled AIS and am having no trouble that you describe. I am having a few other odd sandbox behaviors however. IE always takes two tries before it works correctly in the sandbox. It won't load my home page or any bookmarks the first time I start it up. I am also back to having my computer crash every time I close Chrome when running it sandboxed.

So, I don't have the problem you outline, but have others with the sandbox. I don't have time to do any trouble shooting at the moment, but I think I will try to iron it out this weekend over at the Avast forums. I talked to them about it before and uploaded minidump crash files but never heard anything back.

I may just run AIS and ignore the sandbox thing. I am more interested in the Safe Zone feature anyway. My only worry is that perhaps other parts of the software are not working properly if the sandbox doesn't work right on my computer and I won't know about those other malfunctioning parts.

 

Thanks again, Hamlet.
I have decided to use only FF sandboxed, and not sandbox either IE or Chrome. The one browser sandboxed, and SafeZone will tqke care of me. As I have stated, I want the security when using my laptop on unsecured WIFIs.

It will be interesting if anyone can come up with a solution to the sandbox, and also to print from SafeZone.

Regards,
Jerry

 

I trialled avast! Pro 7 but I encountered issues running Firefox sandboxed on Windows XP (I didn't try it on Windows 7). The sandbox settings within avast! that are supposed to allow exporting of downloaded files and bookmarks outside the avast! sandbox didn't work properly.

The download issue occurred if Firefox was set to download to a fixed location. The downloaded files stayed within the sandbox and weren't exported. I managed to find a workaround for this by changing the download option in Firefox to "Always ask me where to save files". On selecting the location when the prompt appeared, the downloaded file was then exported by avast! outside the sandbox. It's a bug that needs fixing though.

The bookmark issue I never found a solution for. Bookmarks created while Firefox was sandboxed could be saved within the sandbox and would be available within further sandboxed Firefox sessions until the contents of the sandbox were deleted; but were never available outside the sandbox within a normal Firefox session.

The avast! sandbox is still fairly new and as it evolves may develop into quite a promising application. It is an application sandbox similar to Sandboxie. At the moment though, I can't see any reason to favour it over Sandboxie, which has a lot more functionality and works flawlessly.

 

Hi pegr,
I have not noticed a download issue, but will download something to see what happens.
The Avast sandbox might not be as good as Sandboxie, but it is a good addition to the AV. That assumes it will work, and currently there are issues.
I hope that with time the Avast Sandbox will be improved. There are obviously some serious issues.

I just downloaded a removal tool for Avast, and did not have any problem. I said to save it, and had a choice as always.

Regards,
Jerry

 

Hi Jerry,

I found that the option to download outside the sandbox worked providing that Firefox was set to prompt each time for the download location. It didn't work if Firefox was set to always download to a fixed location. Do you see the same behaviour?

I keep my Firefox profile on a separate data partition so that could be the reason for the exporting of bookmarks not working. It may be that avast! assumes that the Firefox profile is located in its default location and can't find it when trying to update the Firefox bookmarks and history database if it has been moved. Does the optional setting to export Firefox bookmarks created inside the avast! sandbox work for you and where is your Firefox profile located?

Thanks.

Kind regards

 

Hi Pegr,
I just downloaded Foxit Reader, FF was sandboxed, and the download box allowed me to place it wherever I desired. I do not have any partitions so FF is on my C drive. I have the downloads set to "ask me where" to save it.

I cannot tell FF is sandboxed except for the orange border. Otherwise everything works as always.

Regards,
Jerry

 

Hi Jerry,

Yes, I found that it works if you have downloads set to ask where to save, but it didn't work for me if Firefox is set to download to a fixed location instead of asking each time. Did you have a chance to try creating a bookmark while sandboxed to see if it would still be available when launching Firefox outside the sandbox?

Kind regards

 

Unfortunately I cannot remove FF from being sandboxed. Even I uncheck the box to sandbox the browser it has no affect.
That is a fairly major problem, as once a browser is sandboxed I have been unable to remove it from the sandbox.
Firefox runs OK inside the sandbox, but IE 9 and Chrome do not. Only removing Avast and reinstalling gets rid of the sandboxed browser.

I have a ticket with Avast so will see if they solve the problem.
One thing that confuses me is that several have reported problems with the sandbox, but they are not the same as evidenced by your and my experiences. I cannot understand why one computer permits the removal of a browser from the sandbox, but neither of my computers will.

Regards,
Jerry

 

After removing and reinstalling Avast Pro on my laptop I am now able to remove browsers from running sandboxed. However, neither IE 9 nor Google Chrome run well enough to be usable.
Firefox does run well so I will just run IE and Chrome without the sand box and FF sandboxed.

I just tried IE sandboxed on the desktop, and it opens with a white screen and does not go to a site. I may have to remove Avast and reinstall again.
On the desktop I still cannot remove FF from being sandboxed, but don't really care.

So at this point only FF will function satisfactorily sandboxed.
I think Avast has some more work to do on the sandbox.

However, the ability to sandbox FF and to surf, if desired, within the SafeZone provide the degree of protection that I think I need when on an unsecured WIFI.

Regards,
Jerry

 

I didn't force the browser to run sandboxed so maybe that's the difference. I sandboxed the browser on-demand by right-clicking on the browser shortcut and selecting the option from the context menu to run the browser sandboxed. That still left me the option to run the browser normally outside the sandbox.

Until avast! fix the bug that's preventing you from unsandboxing the browser on the desktop, you might be better off sandboxing Firefox on-demand, rather than forcing it to run sandboxed; otherwise you are going to have to uninstall and reinstall avast! each time you want to apply a Firefox update.

I'm still interested to know whether, on the laptop, any bookmarks created inside the sandbox survive outside the sandbox when the avast! sandbox option to save bookmarks is set. If they don't, any bookmarks created inside the sandbox will be lost when the contents of the sandbox are next deleted. It might be worth you testing this by creating a bookmark then unsandbox the browser and launch Firefox outside the sandbox to see if the bookmark was saved. If it doesn't work then at least you will know that bookmarks would need to be created outside the sandbox. As your Firefox profile is in the default location, I suspect that it will work for you but it would be good to confirm it.

Kind regards

 

Hi pegr,
I had to remove even FF from being sandboxed as it crashed. I guess I can't play in the sandbox.
I had to reinstall Avast to get the browsers straightened out. I recently read on another forum as a sandbox was being discussed that Windows 64 bit was a problem for sandboxing.

I wonder if the problems some of us are experiencing are a result of w 64 bit OS?
Is your system 64 bit?

I may go to another AV on the desktop since I can't use the sandbox.

Regards,
Jerry

 

Hi, Since this thread is about Avast! Pro7, I guess it's ok to change the subject here and mention that there is a known bug in the Pro ver. 7 as per tech support concerning the Safe Zone. You can't print in Safe Zone.
I'm told it should be fixed by the next version, but I see it has existed since at least April. I'm sure that there are some folks who don't have the problem, but can I ask if there is anyone here who had the problem and fixed it them selves? If so, can you please pass on your fix to me? Thanks in advance.

 

Hi Jerry,

No, it's 32-bit Windows XP.

That would be a shame because avast! is a very good anti-virus and the AutoSandbox feature seems to work. It's the manual sandboxing of applications such as browsers where there are issues. Functionally the avast! sandbox is very similar to Sandboxie so one option would be to keep avast! as an AV and use Sandboxie until the issues with the avast! sandbox have been resolved.

Kind regards

 

Thanks, pegr.
I was thinking that I might try sandboxie. I understand there is a learning curve. I am sure it would be a good addition, but not sure I want any more problems.

I have asked the question re 64 bit on the Avast forum, but no replies yet. I am not sure that anyone really knows at this point.
Regards,
Jerry

 

Hi Jerry,

Sandboxie is highly configurable and does have a lot of features, which means a learning curve to fully master it; but none of that is essential to get started. You can use Sandboxie as-is straight after installation without further configuration. Once you get used to it, you will want to explore some of its features in order to customize it to your own requirements, but you can take your time.

When you install Sandboxie, there are options to add desktop and Quick Launch shortcuts for running the default browser sandboxed. Any program can be run in the sandbox by right-clicking the program's shortcut and selecting Run Sandboxed from the context menu. There are other ways but it's enough to get started.

All of the Sandboxie features and settings are available via the Sandboxie Control GUI, which places an icon in the system tray while it is running. Sandboxie is widely used within the Wilders community so there is plenty of help available if you get stuck or need advice.

As to encountering problems with Sandboxie, it is unlikely that you will encounter any. Sandboxie is a mature full-featured program that works flawlessly on most systems without any issues.

Kind regards

 

Thanks, pegr. I know it is popular here and there is a lot of expertise regarding it.
Regards,
Jerry