Sometimes even a good anti-virus program isn’t enough to keep all the threats, viruses and malware out of your PC system. This is where sandboxing can be a real lifesaver. “What exactly is sandboxing?” a lot of you may ask. Sandboxing is an extra level of defense against all the virtual threats on the web today. Sandboxing allows your programs and applications to run within its isolated environment, therefore being able to stop any harmful bugs by detecting and eliminating them before they actually reach your PC. By using sandboxing software, you’re making sure that no program or application can make any permanent changes to your PC, as well as limiting their access to your system. Although some anti-virus programs feature sandboxing, if you’re using one of the free internet security programs, it’s best to download separate sandboxing software, and here’s the top 4 sandboxing software out there.

SandboxieSandboxie

Sandboxie is the perfect option if you’re looking for a mainly web browsing sandboxing solution. Although Sandboxie is available for free download for personal use, they will start urging you to buy the full product after a trial period of 30 days. Basically what Sandboxie does is allow you to open your web browser and email client in an isolated customizable sandbox, allowing full web browsing isolation and making sure no harmful threats get through via your browser or email client. Sandboxie doesn’t offer automatic sandboxing but there are plenty of easy ways to check programs, files and untrusted downloads via Sandboxie. For daily web browsing protection, and if you like to browse a lot of untrusted sites, or simply want extra protection for things like Internet banking, Sandboxie is the one for you!

BufferZone

BufferZone is a very similar, free alternative to Sandboxie and includes a lot of the same, great features. Once installed, BufferZone will automatically sandbox a set of default programs and files, which can be altered to your preferences if required. Things like your Internet browser, whichever one you use, Skype and your desktop email client are among the programs that will be sandboxed on installation, which really comes in handy if you are trying to cover all your bases. You can also control how these programs behave via the BufferZone main window which offers system reports and all your sandboxing options. If you’re looking for a free program to do the job, BufferZone is your best bet!

Sandboxing in Avast Antivirus

Avast Antivirus is the most popular free antivirus software available and comes with a great automatic sandboxing feature. If you’re willing to upgrade to Avast Pro or Avast Internet Security, the sandboxing options allow you to run manual sandboxing as well as automatic. Depending on your needs, an upgrade might be in your best interest. You are also able to specify which programs you’d like to run through the sandboxing environment and which ones you’d like them to ignore. Avast Internet Security comes with a range of customizable sandboxing options, which comes in handy if you’re looking to create a very precise sandboxing solution. The paid Avast products also offer great web browsing security.

Sandboxing in Comodo Internet Security

Comodo Internet Security is a fantastic option if you’re looking to download a full Internet security program, including sandboxing, antivirus and firewalls. It features automatic and manual sandboxing options and automatically detects all threats and untrusted files and runs them in its virtual environment. You can also choose to run ANY program or file through Comodo’s sandboxing environment if you are unsure whether they pose a threat or not. If you’re looking to make sure that your PC is safe and stays protected, then Comodo Internet Security, which is available for free download online, is a great options with plenty of security features and trusted sandboxing.

Verdict

In conclusion, there are plenty of top notch sandboxing solutions out there just waiting for you to take advantage of, so pick one that caters for all your security needs and click download before some nasty bugs take over your PC and reach havoc. Whether you already have a strong antivirus system and you’re looking to add that extra sandboxing punch, or if you need the whole package, the above software options will do exactly what you need them to do; create a level of security on your PC that you can be proud of!

Author Bio: This is a guest post by Dmitri Blackthorn who is currently looking for the most cost-effective DDoS protection for his business website. Dmitri is a fan of new tech, security tips and his Android smartphone.