Prevent programs to read files on host system?
- Thread starter mouse
- Start date
Hello.
You can do that by specifying ClosedFilePath or WriteFilePath rules.
By default, a sandboxed application was always able to read whatever the user was able to read. David changed that by adding sandbox types with "DataProtection", but those are behind a certification system, which is in most instances a paywall.
Just to be clear, you can use those rules without having to spend a dime. They can be manually added by editing the Sandboxie.ini, or within the user interface. For Sandboxie-Plus this can be done at the Sandbox Options > Resource Access > [Files]. Since the software in its original form did not have rule specificity you won't be able to simply block the root path and then allow subfolders. This (UseRuleSpecificity=y) was added, as well as the other box types, by David.
If only the original author had understood Sandboxie as privacy tool or cared about sandboxed programs being able to read basically everything, he should have included rule specificity and made it easier to prevent nosy apps from having read access where they won't need it. Unfortunately, neither the original developer thought about do so, nor anyone who had the chance to, before the sources were released. David forked the code and everything requiring payments before does not require payment in versions since today. If all that had been in there, it would be free today.
Since you have access to the sources of Sandboxie you could modify them and build your own versions that do not require you to spend money, either. I'd be unable to help you with that, but there have been helpful community members, mostly on GitHub (I think) who have helped others in building Sandboxie.
I agree! There are things I don't like. For example having different tiers for features, besides free and non-free, while I understand the Patreon subscription to offer more granularity. I don't like the reminder screen for users that did not contribute to the project, since I don't think that it will change their mind.
So, yes I like if that would be available for anyone, since I think more people can make use of the tool. David might wonder if rule specificity and data protection type boxes were free, what users are willing to pay for.
In case you are wondering what my role might be. I am just a contributor (translating strings) to the project and a volunteer in this forum. I do not benefit from Sandboxie having a price tag for certain features, other than David continuing the development.