Sandbox Instructions -- Lack there of and lack of support

[pk]

@Nesivos,

When you run Firefox you will also be using other programs like Flash, Java, Silverlight, Firefox extensions and plug-ins.

So when you sandbox Firefox do you also have to sandbox these other programs or do they automatically run sandboxed within Firefox when you sandbox only Firefox?

If you run Firefox in sandbox, the entire application is virtualized and every process it runs or loads are virtualized too. It means, all using components/plugins are automatically virtualized. You don't need to put those programs into sandbox manually.

It seemed to me that when you ran Firefox sandboxed and updated extenstions while Firefox was sandboxed that those updates did not show up in Firefox if you then ran Firefox un-sandboxed.

That's correct. Everything you do in sandboxed app (e.g. updates, change settings) will be applied for that sandboxed copy. If you execute Firefox unsandboxed, extensions may not be updated (because you updated them in sandbox). Sandbox for webbrowsers (Opera, IE, Firefox, ...) isn't automatically cleared when the browser ends, so when you run browser next time, it'll see changes you made last time.

Also what happens if you download a program in firefox; eg Malwarebytes.   Where does it go?  As I recall I couldn't find that downloaded program later when I looked for it using My Computer and IE.  I normally download programs to my Desktop but as I recall it wasn't there when I close Firefox and looked at my desktop.

When you execute Firefox in the sandbox, avast detects what you download and where and these files automatically excludes from the sandbox, so they should be stored directly on your disk (out of sandbox). You can control this behavior in GUI (see Expert Settings, "Automatically detect default locations for..." checkbox).

Also updates to my profile in Firefox when it was running sandboxed did not appear to be there if I later ran Firefox un-sandboxed.

Which profile's updates do you have in mind?
As I said, all changes in sandboxed Firefox will be kept in sandbox - they won't be propagated into normal unsandboxed Firefox copy. If you have a special needs, please let me know, we might do something with it...

Thanks.

[Jack 1000]

So is it true that if you have a paid version of Avast (and coming soon with all versions of Avast 6) that if everything is set to default, ONLY malicious content, (i.e viruses and malware suspect programs) will run in the sandbox by default?  If malicious content is suspected, the program or file will never leave the sandbox, so your computer cannot be harmed by the bad content.

Jack

[dagrev]

As a happy user for some time, I'm concerned about the huge lag-time in support for a paid user.  No one has addressed this, which in my mind is equally an issue with an otherwise great product. 

[BMoshier]

Well there are two paid options, the avast Pro which is antivirus only (but still has the sandbox feature) and the AIS version which has the pro antivirus version, avast firewall and anti-spam function. Which version you have should be at the top of the avastUI as in my first image.

Though the Process Virtualisation (Sandbox) should be the same in both.

I will have to leave this to someone with personal experience of the version you have as I use the free version.

Mine says Avast! Internet Security.  I didn't realize there were two versions and I'm glad to hear the Sandbox is in box of them.

[BMoshier]

Using 5.1.889 which has the Sandbox feature.

I haven't read anything here that indicates that a program setup for use in the Sandbox has changed.

When I tested the Sandbox feature in 5.1.xxx I never used IE to run a program sandboxed so I can't talk to that.

What I did was go into the AIS GUI - Real Time Shields - Virtualization and add the program there using the Browse feature. 

I had no problem adding the program and as I recall when a program is run in the Sandbox in AIS a red line shows up on the four outer edges of the monitor surrounding the program indicating that it was running in the Sandbox.

yeah, I read what to expect, BUT I have yet to read step by step instructions on HOW to start the sandbox up.  Please give you one sentence that says to browse to the application to place into the Sandbox, etc.

The thing is when one says browse, it can mean so many things to different people or even to the Windows operating system.  How hard is it for Avast to provide instructions that are clear?

[BMoshier]

@BMoshier, unfortunately avast sandbox isn't available for 64-bit WinXP or 32-bit WinXP SP0/SP1 (it's supported from SP2). I found your support ticket and it says your OS is WinXP (but it doesn't say which platform exactly it is). Those old WinXP systems don't have built support for registry monitoring so sandbox can't work there. Please ask for refund, because your OS doesn't support avast sandbox - PC requirements are written on our website: http://www.avast.com/pro-antivirus#tab2 (see bottom of page):

supported:

    * Windows XP SP2+ 32-bit
    * Windows Server 2003, Vista, 7 (32-bit and 64-bit) only RTM versions are supported (Windows 7 SP1 RC is currently also supported)

not supported:

    * Windows 2000
    * Windows XP 64-bit (with any SP installed)
    * Windows Server 2003 64-bit

The 64-bit version of XP Pro is NOT in the operating system list when a person opens a ticket.  If Windows XP Pro x32 and x64 are different in support, shouldn't the ticket system offer a choice between them?

Do you know how to go about asking for a refund?

How does one downgrade from the Pro to the Free?  I suspect uninstall, reboot, and reinstall, but I'm not sure.

P.S.  Thank you so very much!  You are the first person from Avast! to suggest something beyond copying the FAQ time and time again.

[DavidR]

Contact sales (at) avast (dot) com ref a refund, you can give the info of your purchase, this topic, PK's post quoting the unsupported OS version/incompatibility with win XP 64bit, etc.

Yes you would need to uninstall, reboot and install, it may be best to do a clean reinstall, running the uninstall utility from safe mode after the add remove programs uninstall. uninstall, reboot run uninstall utility from safe mode, reboot and install.

Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, find it here ensure you get the version5 one, aswClear5.exe and save it to your HDD.

I would await feedback from sales first.

[Nesivos]

PK

Thanks for answering my questions.

From what you said it sounds like it is not a good idea to make changes to Firefox Extensions if you are only testing the use of it virtualized.

In fact now that you mentioned this it jarred my memory on what happened when I previously tested Firefox in the Virutualization mode.

My big problem with it at the time was that I was using an older computer with a slower processor running XP.  Running Firefox in the virtualization mode on that computer resulted in major slowdown in Firefox responsiveness   So after running Firefox virtualized for a couple of days I decided to run it in regular mode.   When I did that as I recall a lot of of if not all of my changes to the extensions were gone.   One of these extensions, ReminderFox I use extensively.  So needless to say when I had to go back and recreate two days worth of changes to ReminderFox it was a bit upsetting.  

It was because of that reason and as I recall some problems with Flash when running Firefox in the virtualizaton mode that I just stopped running Firefox that way and went back to the normal way.

Some more question for now on this.

I use Mozbackup to backup my Firefox bookmarks, profile etc.  I also use the export file feature in ReminderFox to export a copy of my ReminderFox Preferences and Rminders and Todo lists.

1. Regarding Mozbackup -  If I am running Firefox in virtualization mode do I also need to run Mozbackup in virtualization mode to backup and restore my Firefox and Thunderbird files?  Note:  I do not save the backups within the default location but rather on another logical drive letter altogether.  So if I have to run Mozbackup virtualized or not will I be able to backup the Firefox and Thunderbird files on this other logical drive which is not virtualized and then restore them from there to a virtualized Firefox and/or Thunderbird?

2. ReminderFox -  I have ReminderFox networked internally by having ReminderFox on all three of my computers point to a single ReminderFox data file which is located on one computer directly at C:\.  It works good enough for me.  

If I virtualize Firefox and as a result the installed extensions which include ReminderFox will the ReminderFox file update if it is not in its default location within the Firefox directory chain?

It seems to me that the way I have set up ReminderFox that its data file will reside outside of the Sandbox.   If that is true will the ReminderFox Extension data file even update when I enter updates like new Reminders or new Todos into ReminderFox in the virtualized Firefox?

That is it for now.   Thanks a bunch for your help.

[BMoshier]

Contact sales (at) avast (dot) com ref a refund, you can give the info of your purchase, this topic, PK's post quoting the unsupported OS version/incompatibility with win XP 64bit, etc.

Yes you would need to uninstall, reboot and install, it may be best to do a clean reinstall, running the uninstall utility from safe mode after the add remove programs uninstall. uninstall, reboot run uninstall utility from safe mode, reboot and install.

Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, find it here ensure you get the version5 one, aswClear5.exe and save it to your HDD.

I would await feedback from sales first.

Hello and thank you for your reply.

I sent a refund request to sales at avast dot com a few moments ago.  I'll update the thread, as things develop.

Bert.

[DavidR]

You're welcome.