Security package question

Just a question that I am sure somebody will explain.

I use Windows XP Home 2002 and have Sandboxie, AVG 2014 and PrivateFirewall. They all work perfectly and I have no problems.

In noticing GeSWall reviews etc. on the web, it looks very good.

Would it replace my existing SBxie, AV and FW programs or be supplementary to them and work in perfect harmony without any conflict?

Do I really need it ?

 

I would never change anything of your current setup for GesWall.

 

You don't need GesWall. You already have everything covered.

 

@ Solarlynx and tomazyk

Those two posts were very quick and extremely conclusive.
I would trust you both in a minefield any day.

Thank you.

 

GesWall is very nice, but abandoned. I still use it time to time...

 

Is GeSWall a virtual program like Sandboxie ?

 

GesWall is more of an Intrusion Prevention System that protects you by isolating Internet exposed applications, as well as an access restriction policy which prevents leaks of confidential documents and unauthorized modification of files, registry, etc., coming through an isolated application. Either Sandboxie or GesWall is a fine choice, I would not use the two together as I have had a bad experience in doing so, a BSOD.

 

The purpose of program is similar but it's achieved different way.

Here is one discussion: https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=310188

and here another: https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=294042

 

I agree with others that say your current setup is fine. If it's working fine then keep it IMO. I would have a hard time convincing myself to go with GesWall. Support for XP is ending soon. If you did go with GesWall you would essentially have an abandoned security product protecting an abandoned operating system. That's not a good combo. If you are determined to find another setup you may want to take a look at DefenseWall. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

good approach

 

GeSWall is running fine on Win7.

 

Free GesWall paid versus Paid Sandboxie (on XP): 1-2
a) + GesWall loads a lot faster, on old machines as Sandboxie

b) + Sandboxie has a white liste feature (start/run) which GesWall has not
c) + Sandboxie's firewall is easier to configurate and designes as this feature (while at GW it is a tweak)

Free GesWall paid versus Free Sandboxie (on XP): 2-1
a) + GesWall loads a lot faster, on old machines as Sandboxie
b) + GesWall Free can be run with the GesWall.dat Pro application base, expanding protection beyond browsers

c) + Sandboxie has a white liste feature (start/run) which GesWall has not
d) + Sandboxie's firewall is easier to configurate and designes as this feature (while at GW it is a tweak)
e) - Sandboxie has a nag screen, GesWall does not

Sandboxie still maintained advantage yes/no
On an unmaintained old OS, it does not matter that you use an old layer on top. A security layer on top of an OS can't protect you against exploitable flaws in the OS. When you switch to a still maintained OS (Vista/Win7/Win8 ) it is an advantage to have a maintained security program on top of your OS.

Security programs making kernel changes are dead anyway. Sandboxie 3.x is not maintained either. Don't know anything about sandboxie V4, but it is build around a newer generation of operating systems, it deals with the restrictions the newer OS-ses put on additonal security layers, but it could also use these newer mechanisms to its advantage. When that is the matter I would not advise a still heavily developed security layer of a newer generation OS on an old OS.

So when you have a Sandboxie Pro lisence, keep it as it is (and stick with Sandboxie 3.76). When you want to switch to free PM for the geswal.dat trick.

Regards Kees

 

Last GW update was two years ago. It is/was a very good program, but actually discontinued. Anyway don't use Sandboxie with it, very easy to have conflict. You might want to try AppGuard, very strong program.

 

Explanation why for XP owners the fact SBIE is a still in business is not a big advantage

Security programs are build around the foundation of the OS. .
When the foundation has flaws in it, the house built on it, also suffers from these flaws. When the OS won't be patched for exploits, big chance the layer build on this foundation can be bypassed easily also(https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=350960)

Sandboxie for XP is dead also
When I understand correctly, SBIE V4 uses untusted levels and job objects (like Chrome Sandbox ) to reduce interaction with OS, see http://www.sandboxie.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=16201&sid=54a21ca30687f471767622baeb05eedd XP does not has untrusted IL, also handling job objects has changed see http://stackoverflow.com/questions/...jobobject-fail-on-xp-with-error-access-denied

So SBIE V4 is an improvement for people with Win7/Win8 OS, but likely a bad idea for XP owners, SBIE 3.76 was designed and build around the internals of that OS, so better stick with 3.76, but development has stopped for 3.76 also.

 

Windows XP will be around for another 10 years with world users. MS withdrawal of support is irrelevant, all the Windows XP updates are security updates and with Sandboxie, a good AV and FW who needs them ? I certainly do not and will plod on with XP for as long as possible.

Windows 95,98 is still around live and kicking 15 years after MS "withdrew" support.

 

Some pigs are more equal as others. Not every exploit is the same. Exploits in browser Yes, exploits in OS: again wrong assumption that a program can protect against exploitable bugs in the OS.

 

Yep, XP is not secure to stay on it. You are more secure on 7+. The OS itself must protect you as well, not only security staff.

 

My beautiful and super efficient Windows XP will not turn into a Pumpkin, or me into a frog at mid-night on April 8th 2014. In fact it will go on for another 10 years or more providing impeccable service just like its predecessors have done to this day.

To consolidate your comparison with pigs, it may come as a startling revelation to you that Sandboxie is so impeccable in security protection that Tzuk had no need to include the individual characteristics of pigs in his astonishing program, all pigs are treated equally.

But this thread is not about the assured immortality of Windows XP or the individual characteristics of our porky pals, it is about what my OP described..

I will update my OS as and when I have to make the decision, NOT when Microsoft pull any plugs. It does not seem to be a very pressing engagement.

If you have some personal impression that Sandboxie is a waste of time, then please post your valuable comments on the Sandboxie Forum. I am sure that Tzuk will be most interested.

 

Impeccable is actually lack of interest from blackhats: https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=350960

But you may be able to get by with third-party updates (KernelEx for example) and increasing security through obscurity.

 

I'd suggest you stay with the setup you got. Sbie is very strong and you don't need to worry. Just sit back and relax.

 

No need to try and fix what aint broke, good setup.

Check out disk imaging software, safe surfing habits and maybe even system harding techniques.

As for end of life for xp I still have a couple of win 2k machines working good.

 

Most of the replies are extremely encouraging, practically sound and positive. I thank you all.

 

The best security is using your head. Practice safe browsing. If you download something and you're not sure if it's safe, scan it with malwarebytes or upload it to virustotal. Make a lot of backups of your data, there it online, external hard drives, usbs, dvds. If you do this, you should be fine.

 

You are missing the point. All pigs (exploits) are not treated equally. Kernel exploits have a different impact as flash, pdf, browser, java exploits on security programs. This has nothing to do with Sandboxie, because GesWall and Private FireWall would go down with XP exploits as well.

I was not bashing SBIE, just warning you to not use V4 on XP (explained with posts from SBIE forum). I am not saying SBIE is bad, it is a great program, just use 3.76 on XP, because V4 uses mechanisms which are not available or implemented differently in your OS.

Sandboxie being a waiste of time, is not what I was saying. Tzuk himself says that Chrome (with its own sandbox) on win8 (running in tile sandbox) does not need Sandboxie, so this is old news, no need to post in SBIE forum. That said there are still a lot of usefull virtualisation applications besides Chrome. So by no means I am qualifying SBIE as a waist of time.

 

@DX2
Couldn't agree more.