Sandboxie is a sandbox-based isolation software for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows NT-based operating systems. In versions 1.16.1 and below, a critical security vulnerability exists in password handling mechanisms. During encrypted sandbox creation, user passwords are transmitted via shared memory, exposing them to potential interception. The vulnerability is particularly severe during password modification operations, where both old and new passwords are passed as plaintext command-line arguments to the Imbox process without any encryption or obfuscation. This implementation flaw allows any process within the user session, including unprivileged processes, to retrieve these sensitive credentials by reading the command-line arguments, thereby bypassing standard privilege requirements and creating a significant security risk. This is fixed in version 1.16.2.
The product stores sensitive information in cleartext within a resource that might be accessible to another control sphere.
| Name | Vendor | Start Version | End Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandboxie | Sandboxie-plus | * | 1.16.2 (excluding) |
Because the information is stored in cleartext (i.e., unencrypted), attackers could potentially read it. Even if the information is encoded in a way that is not human-readable, certain techniques could determine which encoding is being used, then decode the information. When organizations adopt cloud services, it can be easier for attackers to access the data from anywhere on the Internet. In some systems/environments such as cloud, the use of “double encryption” (at both the software and hardware layer) might be required, and the developer might be solely responsible for both layers, instead of shared responsibility with the administrator of the broader system/environment.