What Is Sandboxing?

Sandboxing is a cybersecurity practice where you run code, observe and analyze and code in a safe, isolated environment on a network that mimics end-user operating environments. Sandboxing is designed to prevent threats from getting on the network and is frequently used to inspect untested or untrusted code. Sandboxing keeps the code relegated to a test environment so it doesn’t infect or cause damage to the host machine or operating system.

As the name suggests, this isolated test environment functions as a kind of “sandbox,” where you can play with different variables and see how the program works. This is also a safe space, where if something goes wrong, it can’t actively harm your host devices.

Why Sandboxing?

Sandboxing is an effective way to improve your organization’s security, since it’s proactive and offers the highest possible threat detection rate. Read more about the benefits of sandboxing below.

How Sandboxing Works

Sandboxing works by keeping potentially malicious program or unsafe code isolated from the rest of the organization’s environment. This way, it can be analyzed safely, without compromising your operating system or host devices. If a threat is detected, it can be removed proactively.

The Benefits of Sandboxing

Using a sandbox has a number of advantages:

• Does not risk your host devices or operating systems. The main advantage of sandboxing is that it prevents your host devices and operating systems from being exposed to potential threats.
• Evaluate potentially malicious software for threats. If you’re working with new vendors or untrusted software sources, you can test new software for threats before implementing it.
• Test software changes before they go live. If you’re developing new code, you can use sandboxing to evaluate it for potential vulnerabilities before it goes live.
• Quarantine zero-day threats. With sandboxing, you can quarantine and eliminate zero-day threats.
• Complement other security strategies. Sandboxing functions as a complementary strategy to your other security products and policies, providing you with even more protection.