Good news everyone! With one of the upcoming builds Sandboxie-Plus will get the ability to create encrypted boxes, combine this with ConfidentialBox=y and DenyHostAccess=y as well as a new driver based folder protection feature and we got ourselves a reverse sandbox i.e. a box which content can not be accessed by anything from the host only programs from the sandbox which will be contained within the sandbox will be able to access the files within the sandbox. So actually its quite a huge leap for privacy, forget "private browser" mode, this is an other dimension of privacy and confidentiality. And I already picked suitable icons.... Now this being a major new dimension of Sandboxies functionality, it complicates the box type nomenclature. In the past we had 2 dimensions 1: Isolation: a) Hardened; b) Default; c) Compartment 2: With Data protection: a) with; b) without <- where here the data protection applied to protect host data from the sandbox 3: Encrypted & protected: a) confidential; b) normal And technically 2 and 3 have nothing in common and if one wants one can configure the box to be encrypted and use data protection, so nothing in the box can access data on the host and nothing on the host can access the data in the box. Not sure of the real life use case for that but I'm sure someone will appreciate it. So while it was simple enough to have 3 base colors and of each have a variation with data protection, with a 2nd additional dimension of sand boxing this scheme somewhat falls apart. For now my simple approach is to make the confidential, private, encrypted, secret, box black, a black box, seams fitting and with regard to the isolation default, perhaps use compartment mode as default, not sure yet. And ofcause since some time one can pick the box to have a color matching the free to set border color, so the icons are only default and can be changed easily... But I was wondering if anyone here would have some ideas/suggestions for an improved color scheme? And a related issue, how should we restructure the first page of the box creation wizard? Just adding one more entry to the ComboBox could hide a very important new functionality, the ability to encrypt a sandbox should be more prominent IMHO. Any suggestions, ideas or IO mock-ups?
Personally, I consider sandboxie as primarily a securiy software. And, since something's gotta give, I would just simplify as follows: BlackBox (encryption + security mode) with privacy mode option. RedBox (security mode + privacy mode) as is now. YellowBox (current + security mode) as DEFAULT for all users (free/paid). GreenBox (app compartment) with privacy mode option.
Perhaps we could simplify the selection to Red Box Blue Box Yellow Box Green Box Black Box PS: You know what I don't like the combo box, it hides all the good things out of sight, perhaps we should go with 4 radio buttons
or perhaps like this: here the last option is a check box as any box type can be encrypted and confidential. or is that to confusing? the user can later switch a encrypted and confidential box in the box options to a non default type. what do you think?
The checkmark makes it too confusing for me. Best to have radio buttons for all as in post #5. But modify the black box description to read: "Encrypted Confidential Standard Sandbox" The user can later switch this box (in box options) to a non default type
True, also there are two attributes to a black box, encrypted and confidential, any box can be encrypted. About "Encrypted Confidential Standard Sandbox" I'm not sure if the default for this one if we keep it a radio button should be standard, perhaps App Compartment type would suite the box better.
I see your point. The radio button, imo, places the "black box" on par with the others, rather than as an appendage or afterthought (with just a checkbox).
Given I think there are now 4 box types with optional data protection and encryption, wouldn't it make it easier to just display it as: Select box type: App Standard Hardened Confidential And then, separate from the above as checkboxes: Data Protection: Yes/No Encryption: Yes/No EDIT: Having reread it I don't think Confidential is a box type, so maybe remove it from the combo and add it to the bottom: Additional data protection: Host User Data [Yes/No] Sandbox [Yes/No] I think it also clears up what it's doing - assuming I've understood it!
Well technically its like this ( ) Hardened Security ( ) Standard Security ( ) App Compartment [ ] Data Protection [ ] Encryption [ ] Confidential The Confidential setting as already present but hidden some ware deep on the advanced page, it prevents host processes from reading memory of processes within the box So the thing is that if one wanted one could create a Security Hardened, Encrypted, Confidential Box with data protection. And it even wouldn't be that ridiculous as if one sets some folders as open one could exchange data with the host. Also an other dimension of isolation surely should be [ ] Block internet access which is a switch further along the box creation wizard.... So its complicated which is not great for the average user, I'm working on some documentation right now which will be linked from the box creation wizard but that's a slow process, surely its a pity no one wants to help with that and earn a perpetual contributor certificate... Anyhow... I'm thinking, given that we should have only a couple presets to pick from it would be reasonable to limit the options to be set as a box type to things which profoundly alter the sandbox behavior, blocking internet does not, and to be honest encryption does not eider the sandbox is encrypted and located some ware else but the inner mechanics are all indifferent to that. The most profound changes are caused by Data Protection and App Compartment presets, Hardened Security when fully enabled enables rule specificity which is also a significant change to how Sandboxie interprets access rules so that counts as well. What makes a black box special is the combination of Encryption, Root folder Protection and the Confidential Box option, as while it does not change so much how the box works and executes programs, it completely changes what utility a user has from the box. It enables completely new use cases, to use it a a secure enclave for Password Managers, Crypto Wallets, and alike. That's why I'm also thinking that it may be a good idea to make the black box by default a compartment type box, that would in face not only be more compatible but for this usage scenarios more secure.
I think the amount of users that feel they understand the product fully enough to write the documentation is tiny at this point. Going through the logic to come up with a proposal was the first time I really began to understand how the individual levers (isolation, data protection e.t.c.) worked together, so I personally think representing them as I did is better, and simpler, but if you wanted a quicker way to select "approved presets" how about a slider mechanism next to them that when used selects the appropriate options, which may avoid the need to go digging into the documentation to find out exactly what the difference between a Black vs Red vs Orange vs Blue box is.
Well that's exactly the point to me everything appears self evident and in no need of any explanation, so someone who has no idea how that all works and does not hesitate to ask me a million questions is exactly the right person to write the documentation. Just document learning everything you ever wanted to know about how sandboxie works, by having all your questions answered by me. And the put it into a couple of concise documents.
I was thinking a bit more and perhaps we should go with ( ) Hardened Security ( ) Standard Security ( ) App Compartment [ ] Data Protection [ ] Confidential
It would be nice to see what are the "free" and what are the "supporter" boxes without having to click on everything. I'm thinking about new users that may get confused. Maybe list the two? free boxes and then with some space and a headline like "for supporters" the "supporter" boxes?. So it would be clear what's free and what's "paid". From the two pictures you posted for me it would be NR 1 because I couldn't figure out to what you would mean with the "Sandbox with Data Protection" on picture two (it's nearly in the middle between the sandboxes right and left). I want to thank you for all the time and effort you put into sandboxie plus
Will there also be a 'Root folder protection' or is that included in Confidential? Will you be able to override Confidential as currently I don't seem to be able to do that. My tweak to your suggestion above (with headers and descriptions just to make sure I've got it right): Isolation: ( ) Hardened Security ( ) Standard Security ( ) App Compartment # Additional Host Protection [ ] Data Protection (Blocks non-core system folders from sandboxed processes). # Additional Sandbox Protection [ ] Confidential (Prevents host processes from reading the memory of sandboxed processes). [ ] Root folder Protection (Prevents host processes from reading sandboxed contents). I'm going to step out at this point as I find your latest examples confusing, and I don't want to appear to be pushy I'll happily use whatever you decide!
Does this mean the program would itself have to be installed/located in Sandboixie or sufficient to run while sandboxed eg a Forced program? Definitely like the idea
Run sandboxed or forced would be enough, we have to load dlls from c:\windows\system32 so someware we must trust the host abit
