Windows 7 [BitBox] The World's Safest Browser

[cybercore]

There is no such thing as an entirely secure browser. Let's be realistic: You will always need a good portion of common sense and Internet smarts to avoid nasty attacks hijacks.


However, if you are paranoid about security, there is one browser that will reliably protect you from virtually all threats. It's a browser you already know: Firefox 4.0.1. Well, a boxed version of Firefox 4.0.1.

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BitBox is essentially a heavily armored version of Firefox 4.0.1 that is encased in Oracle's VirtualBox virtual machine (VM) environment that houses a secured Debian 6 Linux OS. That sounds relatively complicated, but once it is installed, this secure version of Firefox works just like a regular version of the browser. The difference is that it runs in a virtualized environment that is separate from your Windows XP/Vista/7.

The upside clearly is that you are dealing with a self-contained package. If you click on malicious malware, the usual EXE files cannot be executed in your Linux VM. You can download files, but they will not explicitly affect your Windows system and need to be manually moved out of the VM, if you have connected the drives. malware that infects Firefox during your session is automatically deleted the next time you start BitBox, as it always starts with its default configuration in the way it was installed. However, phishing attacks that target your personal data and may trick you in providing critical information will still require some common sense not to do so and will not protect you from the effects of such actions.

There are a few downsides. First, it is a hefty 990 MB download and the installed software will require almost 2 GB of space, as there is a need for Oracle's VirtualBox that is included in the package as well as a Debian 6 installation. Since the software is set back to a default level at every time it starts, it is not the most convenient browser to be used on an every day basis for the consumer. The deal breaker is its language. The software was developed for the German government and while it is available as a free download, it is only available in German. Unless you have basic knowledge of German, the installation will be a hurdle too high to overcome and even then it may be rather uncomfortable to be generally used.

The installation of the entire package is documented via PDF file and is somewhat straight forward, but some knowledge about virtual machines and virtualization in general does help when the individual components of the software are installed. In the end, you really want to know what is happening on your PC and you would want to know what effects a configured virtual drive on your PC has. Other than that, I was able to install BitBox within 15 minutes, once it was downloaded. The only criticism I would have is that developer Sirrix is not using the most recent version of Oracle's Virtual Box software (4.04 vs. 4.06). Custom configuration options include a specific download folder as well as a separate malware scanner as well as random root passwords for the virtual machine and proxy settings. During the installation, the software installs a Linux guest (Firefox) inside Virtual Box. Typically you would run the software form within VirtualBox, but Sirrix has managed to trim down the entire process to a single icon on the desktop.

This is not a browser to get deeply emotional about and discuss its performance features, but the concept is very compelling as far as browser safety is concerned. Plain browsing tasks make a lot of sense in such a package.



SOURCE The World's Safest Browser: BitBox

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[msfanboy98]

I think this is a little to much for security. I mean 900 mbs! Who would waste that much space!

 

[cybercore]

I think this is a little to much for security. I mean 900 mbs! Who would waste that much space!

No, the 900Mb download is the installer only, and the installed software will require almost 2 GB of space, as there is a need for Oracle's VirtualBox that is included in the package as well as a Debian 6 installation.

 

[msfanboy98]

Still 2gbs is a lot for a secure browser. I use mcafee siteadviser to see safe sites.

 

[reghakr]

German security technologies company Sirrix AG has recently released what some critics are calling the most secure web browser in existence: a sandboxed version of Mozilla firefox, known as BitBox.

What makes this variation of Firefox most intriguing is that the web browser runs completely independent of Microsoft Windows. The program uses VirtualBox 4.04 (a software virtualization program by Sun Microsystems) and a securely locked-down ("hardened") implementation of Debian 6 Linux.

The web browser (Firefox 4) then runs in a virtual machine with its own operating system (Debian 6 Linux), keeping it completely separate from the rest of the users' own operating system (Windows).

BitBox Improves Sandboxing Format
BitBox (short for "browser in a box") differs from the traditional sandboxing format of standard browsers because it runs a separate 'guest' operating system, meaning that all browser activity is isolated and kept secluded from the base operating system.

If a user visited an infected web site serving up malware, for example, Microsoft Windows would not be affected. This is an extremely powerful security feature, especially if a PC is shared amongst multiple users, such as family members. (Source: pcworld.com)

When BitBox is launched, the user is said to have all of the same Internet experiences as they would when running Firefox 4 in its standard format.

A shared folder between both operating systems is accessible through a separate user account. To keep things extra secure, uploads and Internet access are disabled on the base operating system once BitBox is launched. (Source: pcworld.com)

Boot Image Reset Ensures Added Security
Its greatest feature, however, rests in the fact that every time the browser is restarted, BitBox resets to a different certified boot image.

This means that any existing malware that might have come through in the previous session is isolated and eliminated -- all without having to continually run an antivirus scan of the system to weed out each individual piece of malware. (Source: yahoo.com)

BitBox Download
As it stands, BitBox runs on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7, in addition to various Linux distributions, including Debian, Ubuntu, OpenSUSE and Gentoo.

BitBox can be downloaded free of charge from Sirrix's website, though the download page is in German. Note that the Bitbox download file is a whopping 900 megabytes, so be prepared for a long wait. A DVD version of the software is also available.

At the time of writing we were unable to locate an English download page with instructions.

Source: BitBox Could Be Safest Windows Browser Ever / Infopackets.com