Sandboxing 101: What You Need To Know

Sandbox services offer a high-growth opportunity for your MSSP—growing from US$8.1 billion last year to a projected $65.6 billion in 2036.

Let’s talk about sandboxes—not the ones used by kids or cats but by IT teams, engineers and code jockeys.

In our digitally-driven world, the term “sandbox” refers to a contained environment—often virtual—to build and test programs and apps. Sandboxes are intentionally cordoned off from networks, apps and other infrastructure to test applications and code updates outside of live infrastructure safely.

In cybersecurity, “sandboxing” refers to running a new or untrusted app or code in a safe, isolated environment. Sandbox services offer a high-growth opportunity for your MSSP—growing from US$8.1 billion last year to a projected $65.6 billion in 2036.

Inline Sandboxing Delivers Potent Protection

Inline sandboxing intercepts unknown files at the firewall level and diverts them into a sandbox for a “verdict” (are files safe or not?). Safe files are passed along to users and unsafe files are blocked.

What’s inside the sandbox matters to protecting and maintaining seamless and productive business operations. Using Fortinet Inline Sandbox Service as an example, file analysis starts with real-time antivirus and moves on to more complex filtering through content pattern recognition, AI and ML analysis and zero-day threat protection. This process orients around two simultaneous objectives:

• Blocking known and unknown malware and viruses
• Minimizing false positives

Use Cases

Key sandboxing use cases include:

• Secure Networks: Maintains enterprise-level function and scalability while protecting networks from zero-day threats, advanced persistent threats and all the usual cyber threat suspects.
• Secure Email: Neutralizes ransomware and other threats before they reach recipients.
• Secure OT Networks: Protects OT environments (plant, safety, manufacturing, facility, etc.) from targeted malware attacks.

Talking Points

Here are some key points that can help you open or further discussions with clients:

• Adoption is soaring. Sandbox services adoption is high because it protects from myriad threats—ransomware, zero-day attacks, advanced persistent threats, etc.
• Protection at your weakest link. The bad guys are better at fooling people than hacking into networks. Security awareness training is good—essential, even—but when you can, why not eliminate the threats before they even reach your people?
• Any way you want it. From the right provider, you can get Sandbox services in your security fabric via a variety of options—software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), virtual machine (VM) and hardware options.