Sandbox in Avast! Free

[ManyQs]

Sorry folks, but I'm getting conflicting information when doing my search. Or incorrect information in one or more of those threads was not clearly corrected, so let me just ask some basic stuff, please.

1. Avast! Free DOES include a Sandbox feature/tool, yes?

2. Does Avast! Free place files on every drive on one's computer?


Below are just four of many of the threads I found when searching for answers, just in case anyone wonders if I did (or tried to do) my homework. Well, did as much homework as I could for the time I have right now.

************************************************************

What is it explained here.

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=58298.0


Seems Avast! Free DOES have a Sandbox tool/feature.

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=81890.0

Seems to indicate Sandbox is NOT included with Avast! Free.

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=77080.0

Not completely sure.

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=73971.0

.

[ady4um]

For HOME users:

http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download

There you can easily see the main differences for those different editions, FREE / Pro / AIS.

The Free edition for Home personal users includes *AUTOSANDBOX*, which is not the same.

The documentation included (and also downloadable) explains it.

[CraigB]

Free has an auto sandbox which only offers to sandbox certain suspicious files, it is not the same as a browser sandbox which is included in the PRO and AIS versions, with any luck this feature might be included in version 7 when released early next year.

Avast only places it's files in the drive it is installed to which is usually C drive as thats where windows is installed.

[ManyQs]

Thank you for the link, ady4um. I confess I didn't think to click on the "Technology" tab when I looked at that page earlier. Too much of a hurry, maybe.

Still, the listing for "AutoSandbox" does not specifically state it's for avast! Free. In fact, it lists nothing related to which product it's for.

Does the avast! Pro and Internet Security include both AutoSandbox and avast! Sandbox?

Well, I guess the "documentation" you referred to is here, right?

https://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=602

I see down at the bottom this "note".

Note:
For avast! Internet Security 6.x and avast! Pro Antivirus 6.x the main settings of full Sandbox module will be applied also for the AutoSandbox, for example whether a downloaded files and other application options should be automatically deleted, or not, when the sandbox is closed.

In avast! Free Antivirus 6.x any downloaded files and application settings will be automatically deleted when the AutoSandbox is closed because this version doesn't include full Sandbox module and its enhancements.

Might it not be a good idea to offer a link somewhere at the bottom of that drop-down page under the "technology" tab -- a link that would direct folks to the KB articles? Just a thought.

Actually, ady4um, I'm not so sure I agree that it's "easily" seen about any of this "AutoSandbox" stuff on that drop-down page. That's supposed to be a big deal, isn't it? Just seems a bit more about it, or links to where that could be found might add more appeal to the overall product.

But what do I know?

And thank you, craigb, for that drive info. That question is what got me started on all this digging for information.

.

[Asyn]

Does the avast! Pro and Internet Security include both AutoSandbox and avast! Sandbox?

Yes.

[pk]

1. Avast! Free DOES include a Sandbox feature/tool, yes?

autosandbox is included in all avast editions (free/pro/is), sandbox/safezone in pro/is.

2. Does Avast! Free place files on every drive on one's computer?

yes, now sandbox contents is stored per-volume (i.e. if a file is virtualized on D: volume, it's sandboxed copy will be stored on this volume as well). It takes several benefits. However, you'll be able to configure this in avast7 (also, if it's sandboxed on one place, it brings other benefits .

[ManyQs]

Oh dear, looks like this might not be quite so easy after all. Sorry to keep at it, but I guess I best offer more details now.

Just picked up a unit a few days ago and the folks that set it up have the winre.wim file on drive D with only 719MB allocated for that drive.

So that's boot.sdi and BOOTSECT.BAK and winre.wim on drive D. Equals 503MB and only 216MB left. That's all they set up that partition for.

So is Avast going to be interested in that D drive? Or will Avast skip it because it's just a Windows Recovery image?

Oh yes, and thank you for the response, pk. Sorry to take up your time.

.

[ady4um]

Actually, ady4um, I'm not so sure I agree that it's "easily" seen about any of this "AutoSandbox" stuff on that drop-down page.

The comparison table that you see *above* the tabs in that page is concentrating on what the Pro and AIS have that Free hasn't ("The innovative SafeZone™ keeps your accounts private"). In this sense, the point is not AUTOsandbox, but the complete sandbox features included in Pro/AIS.

About the documentation, the links to KB articles are included in many pages all over the web site ("visit our support"), and there is downloadable help / User Guides located at http://www.avast.com/download-documentation.

I don't mind answering, and you are welcome to keep asking. Since you took the time to search for other posts, I thought that mentioning that there are several places with documentation would be useful and time-saving.

[ManyQs]

Well, the only thing between me and putting Avast on another computer is that question about that 'D' drive. Everything else is finished and once Avast gives me the go-ahead that will be one more unit doing some heavy lifting with Avast there to protect me from the meanies -- I hope.

Truth is, though, I have very, very few alerts. I suppose I don't play around much on the Net and an extreme paranoia helps a lot. I guess experience helps, too. Can kind of smell the suspicious stuff.

Shoot, I remember many years ago when using a Trash80 there was no such thing as "virus protection". Of course, there wasn't much of a Net, either. Amazing what's happened over the past 30 years or so, or since commercial enterprises started getting into that punch card stuff for day-to-day operations. But I'm getting off-topic. Sorry.

Yep, just waiting for the word, somebody. Thank you.

.

[jason7619]

....., it is not the same as a browser sandbox which is included in the PRO and AIS versions, with any luck this feature might be included in version 7 when released early next year...

-- That will be good. Will make Kaspersky huffing. Avast can do that for the freeware version. Maybe a restricted sandbox (only one sandbox use at a time like the freeware SBIE) WHY NOT! That will make more leaps to Avast! Guaranteed!

[pk]

Oh dear, looks like this might not be quite so easy after all. Sorry to keep at it, but I guess I best offer more details now.
Just picked up a unit a few days ago and the folks that set it up have the winre.wim file on drive D with only 719MB allocated for that drive.
So that's boot.sdi and BOOTSECT.BAK and winre.wim on drive D. Equals 503MB and only 216MB left. That's all they set up that partition for.
So is Avast going to be interested in that D drive? Or will Avast skip it because it's just a Windows Recovery image?
Oh yes, and thank you for the response, pk. Sorry to take up your time.

Avast6 is interested in all fixed/usb devices (ignores network/cd/dvd/and other read-only devices), so, if you create a file on D: volume (in the sandbox), then this file will be virtualized on D: volume (i.e. avast will create a hidden sandbox folder on this volume and this file will be saved there). Why did we decide for per-volume sandboxing? Because if you have a sandbox on say C: volume (which could be small, say with 100mb free space), then it wouldn't fit all possible virtualized files accross all your volumes. Avast7 operates internally in three different modes - so it can move virtualized folders on different volumes (e.g. from dvd to your C: or D: drive, etc). I don't think it's quite important to know how sandbox folders are maintained by avast sandbox...

[ManyQs]

My concern is whether space will become an issue on the D: Drive. There's not a lot of room on that drive.

My research on the Windows Recovery Environment thingy is that approximately 40 to 50 MB of free space is needed for it to do its job, in the event such a need arises.

So if over the next 4 to 5 to 6 years, if Avast only uses up a maximum of about 100MB on the D; Drive I assume I have nothing to worry about.

By the way, if anyone wants to correct me on that 40 to 50 MB of free space needed, please do so. I don't think that would be off-topic.

And thank you all for your attention to the situation I have here that I'm pestering you with questions about.

.

[Asyn]

My concern is whether space will become an issue on the D: Drive. There's not a lot of room on that drive.

Should work.

[ManyQs]

Okey-dokey, Asyn. I think I'll go for it, then. Thank you.

Was just thinking, though, that there was a time when 200MB of free space on a drive would have been considered a lot. Weird. IT "inflation" is a whole lot worse than that in the world of money and cost-of-living.

Anyway, I guess that's an all-clear to put Avast on that "new" computer.

No disagreement, right? I mean, I know Asyn is a "super-duper" here, but if anyone thinks they see a problem, please don't hold back.

Thanks all.

.

[Asyn]

Okey-dokey, Asyn. I think I'll go for it, then. Thank you.

You're welcome..!