sandboxing

Sandboxing is a technique for running code in a restricted and isolated environment to limit what it can do and what resources it can access. It aims to contain the effects of untrusted or faulty software, protect the host system, and provide a safe space for testing, analysis, and execution of potentially harmful code.

Sandboxing works by restricting a process’s permissions, resources, and interfaces. Approaches include kernel-level isolation (such as containers and lightweight virtual machines), constrained filesystem access, limited network activity, and enforced runtime policies. Common mechanisms include chroot-like confinement, seccomp filters, and security profiles such as AppArmor or SELinux, as well as capability-based models. Resource quotas and time limits are often imposed to prevent abuse and ensure fair use.

Types of sandboxes range from OS-level solutions to application-level and browser-based implementations. OS-level sandboxes use containers or virtual environments to isolate processes, while application-level sandboxes run code within restricted runtimes or libraries. Browser sandboxes isolate web content and plugins to prevent cross-origin access or data leakage. Containerization provides process isolation with shared kernels and lower overhead, whereas full virtual machines offer stronger isolation at greater cost. Sandboxing is widely used for secure software testing, running untrusted code, plugin isolation, malware analysis, and online code execution services.

Limitations include potential sandbox escapes, misconfiguration, and performance overhead. Sandboxing is most effective when used as part of a defense-in-depth strategy, complemented by strict access controls, monitoring, and regular system updates.