Sandbox

A sandbox is a walled area where an app or file runs with limited rights, so a bad program cannot easily reach the rest of your device.

Sandbox: A sandbox is a protected space in which a program runs separately from the rest of the system. It can touch only what it was given. If the program is harmful, the damage is meant to stay inside the box and not reach your other apps, files or settings.

Android puts every app in its own sandbox. One app cannot read another app's data unless you grant a permission or the system allows it. This is why a game cannot simply open your banking app's files. Browsers do the same for each website and tab, which is why a broken page usually cannot attack your computer. This design is why a normal fake app still needs your permission before it can read messages.

Sandboxes are strong but not perfect. A rooted phone weakens them, and flaws called zero-days can escape them. Permissions and accessibility rights also let one app watch others. Keep your phone updated, avoid rooting and be careful about the extra rights you give to apps that were not made by well-known developers. Treat every extra permission as a request to leave the sandbox.

Tips

• Do not root your phone, since it weakens the walls between apps.
• Be careful about giving accessibility or device admin rights, which let an app see beyond its own box.
• Keep Android and Chrome updated to repair flaws that attackers use to escape the sandbox.

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