Network sandboxing software creates isolated environments, known as sandboxes, where potentially malicious files or programs can be safely executed and analyzed. These tools are crucial in network security as they provide a controlled space to observe and understand the behavior of suspicious software without risking the security of the entire network.
By running files in a sandbox, cybersecurity professionals can identify and mitigate threats, such as malware or ransomware, before they can harm the network. Sandboxing software helps in detecting new and unknown threats that traditional antivirus programs may miss.
Moreover, it provides insights into the tactics and techniques used by cybercriminals, aiding in the development of more effective security measures. Overall, network sandboxing software plays a vital role in enhancing the security posture of organizations by providing a proactive approach to threat detection and mitigation.
Network sandboxing software has evolved significantly over time to keep pace with the increasing sophistication of cyber threats. In the past, sandboxes were primarily used for malware analysis in controlled environments. They were often standalone systems and required manual intervention for analysis.
Presently, network sandboxing software has become more integrated into broader cybersecurity solutions, offering real-time threat detection and automated response capabilities. Modern sandboxes are part of advanced security platforms, leveraging machine learning and behavioral analysis to detect and respond to threats more effectively.
They have also evolved to support cloud-based deployments, allowing for greater scalability and flexibility in protecting network environments. Overall, the evolution of network sandboxing software reflects a shift towards proactive and adaptive approaches to cybersecurity.
Best Network Sandboxing Software: What To Look For
When choosing the right network sandboxing software, organizations should consider several factors, features, and capabilities to ensure they select the best solution for their needs:
- Integration: Look for software that integrates seamlessly with existing security infrastructure, such as firewalls, SIEM systems, and endpoint protection platforms. This ensures a more comprehensive and cohesive security posture.
- Scalability: The software should be able to scale to accommodate the organization’s network size and growth. This includes the ability to handle a large number of files and transactions efficiently.
- Performance: Ensure the software offers high performance and low latency to minimize impact on network operations. Look for features like parallel processing and optimized resource utilization.
- Detection capabilities: Choose software that offers advanced detection capabilities, such as behavior-based analysis, machine learning, and signatureless detection. This helps in identifying and mitigating new and unknown threats.
- Ease of use: The software should be user-friendly and easy to deploy, configure, and manage. Look for features like intuitive interfaces, automated workflows, and comprehensive reporting.
- Threat intelligence integration: Integration with threat intelligence feeds and databases enhances the software’s ability to identify and respond to emerging threats effectively.
- Customization: Look for software that allows for customization to meet specific organizational needs and policies. This includes the ability to define custom rules, policies, and workflows.
- Compliance: Ensure the software complies with relevant regulatory requirements and standards, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS. This helps in maintaining regulatory compliance and data protection.
- Support and updates: Choose software from a reputable vendor that offers regular updates, patches, and responsive support services. This ensures the software remains effective against evolving threats.
- Cost: Consider the total cost of ownership, including licensing, implementation, training, and maintenance costs. Choose a solution that provides the best value for your budget while meeting your security requirements.
Best Network Sandboxing Software Used By Security Professionals
1. Kaspersky Sandbox
Kaspersky Sandbox solution detects and automatically blocks advanced threats on workstations and servers of an organization.
STATS & SPECIFICATIONS:
- The Kaspersky Sandbox application – the server part of the solution: Kaspersky Sandbox is installed on one or more servers in your corporate LAN. Servers can be combined into a cluster. On Kaspersky Sandbox servers, virtual images of Microsoft Windows operating systems are deployed for running the objects that need to be scanned. Kaspersky Sandbox analyzes the behavior of the objects to detect malicious activity and advanced threats in the corporate IT infrastructure.
- Workstation protection applications (Endpoint Protection Platform/EPP): Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Windows, Kaspersky Security for Windows Server, and Kaspersky Security for Virtualization Light Agent. The applications are installed on workstations on your corporate LAN and provide comprehensive protection of workstations from various threats, network and fraud attacks.
- Kaspersky Endpoint Agent for Windows (KEA) applications: Kaspersky Endpoint Agent is installed on workstations and servers of your corporate LAN and provides communication between EPP and Kaspersky Sandbox, as well as automatic execution of Threat Response actions configured in Kaspersky Security Center policies.
IDEAL FOR:
- Enterprises
- Mid-market
PRODUCT WEBSITE: Kaspersky Sandbox
2. Zscaler Sandbox
Zscaler Sandbox is an AI-powered solution that delivers inline patient zero defense by quarantining unknown or suspicious files before they reach your users. With unlimited latency-free inspection across web and file transfer protocols, including TLS/SSL, it keeps advanced persistent threats off your network. Built on a unique cloud native proxy platform, Zscaler Sandbox automatically detects, prevents, and intelligently quarantines unknown threats and suspicious files, preventing compromise, lateral movement, and data loss across all users and devices. With real-time security updates sourced from 300 trillion daily signals, the service offers near-instant delivery of known benign files.
STATS & SPECIFICATIONS:
- Inline detection prevents patient zero infections: Inline, layered malware analysis detects known and unknown threats without burdening endpoints or requiring hooks into NGFWs.
- Prevention + productivity: AI-powered threat detection delivers instant verdicts while preserving productivity since users don’t need to wait for sandbox decisions.
- Security team-ready: Zscaler Sandbox is fully integrated into security and SOC workflows with out-of-band API file analysis as well as full Browser Isolation and CrowdStrike integration.
IDEAL FOR:
- Enterprises
- Mid-market
PRODUCT WEBSITE: Zscaler Sandbox
3. FortiSandbox
FortiSandbox is a high-performance security solution that utilizes AI/machine learning technology to
identify and isolate advanced threats in real-time. FortiSandbox inspects files, websites, URLs and network traffic for malicious activity, including zero-day threats, and uses sandboxing technology to analyze suspicious files in a secure virtual environment.
STATS & SPECIFICATIONS:
- Immediate protection with real-time analysis: The FortiGuard AI-based Inline Malware Prevention Service combines multilayered advanced threat filtering. It uses AV, CPRL, static and dynamic analysis with deep neural networks, AI/ML, and FortiGuard threat intelligence to render verdicts in real time without impact on productivity or security overhead. The service is available globally.
- Comprehensive Security: FortiSandbox is the ultimate combination of AI/ML-powered detection and threat filtering. It detects and remediates threats that traditional approaches miss. Deploy as on-premises, cloud, or a hosted service for your enterprise, OT, or SOC needs.
- AI-based Inline Malware Prevention Service (as a SaaS subscription): Does not let any suspicious files pass into the organization. A combination of AV, advanced threat filtering, and AI/ML narrows down file-based threats. This eliminates false positives to focus on unknown threats that can pose actual risk. The service blocks all unknown files at the NGFW and sends them to the sandbox of choice for further real-time analysis. Static and dynamic analysis of suspicious files results in sub-second malware detection and verdicts. If the file is clean, the NGFW will release the file to the user. Otherwise, the file will be blocked and quarantined for further action.
- FortiSandbox offers proactive detection, classification, and protection against emerging and unknown threats including zero-days, ransomware, malware, and sophisticated AI-based attacks. It functions autonomously or seamlessly integrates with the Fortinet Security Operations (SecOps) platform, offering comprehensive and coordinated defense against threats.
IDEAL FOR:
- Mid-market
- Small businesses
PRODUCT WEBSITE: FortiSandbox
4. ESET Cloud Sandbox Analysis
Cloud security sandbox provides a powerful, isolated test environment in which a suspicious program is executed, and its behavior is observed, analyzed and reported in an automated manner. This is especially useful against zero-day threats, including ransomware.
STATS & SPECIFICATIONS:
- Additional layer of defense: Defense outside of a company’s network to prevent ransomware and zero-day threats from ever executing in a production environment.
- Power of the cloud: The solution uses the immense computing power of the cloud sandbox to detonate the suspicious files into running a whole battery of tests.
- Unparalleled speed: Every minute counts. That is why the Cloud Sandbox is designed to analyze the majority of new samples in under 5 minutes.
IDEAL FOR:
- Enterprises
- Mid-market
PRODUCT WEBSITE: ESET Cloud Sandbox Analysis
5. Symantec Content Analysis
Symantec® Content Analysis is a critical component that is included with Symantec Web Protection. Content Analysis uses a comprehensive approach to security that offers unequaled protection against known, unknown, and targeted attacks. Paired with Symantec Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Secure Messaging Gateway, Symantec Endpoint Security, Security Analytics, or other third party tools, Content Analysis takes a layered approach to threats targeting network, mail, or endpoint traffic.
STATS & SPECIFICATIONS:
- Inline threat analysis: Sophisticated attacks come in many forms, designed to avoid detection by siloed, single-purpose blocking tools; no single technology effectively stops all threats. Content Analysis takes a different approach and offers a platform for multi-layered/multi-vendor threat detection and protection to dramatically reduce the number of alerts that SOC and Incident Response teams need to address.
- Multi-layer threat inspection architecture: Content Analysis architecture allows Broadcom to partner with technology vendors to offer enhanced protection. Leading antimalware engines are supported with up-to-the-minute updates, providing better protection than desktop antimalware alone. Up to two antimalware engines can be employed simultaneously to improve detection and blocking.
- Flexible configuration options: Flexible configuration allows both inbound and outbound traffic analysis and includes options such as set time-out duration, drop file if errors in detection occur, real-time sandboxing to prevent patient zeros, and defining trusted sites.
IDEAL FOR:
- Enterprises
- Mid-market
PRODUCT WEBSITE: Product Brief
6. Check Point SandBlast Network
Empowering organizations to take a prevention-first strategy to cyberattacks, SandBlast Network defends against the most devastating attacks, including unknown ransomware, Trojans, phishing and social engineering. SandBlast Network deploys with your current infrastructure, offering fully automated policy configuration, without compromising business productivity and agility.
STATS & SPECIFICATIONS:
- Best zero-day catch rate: To achieve the world’s best malware catch rate at record speed, SandBlast Network employs numerous innovative, proprietary technologies. These include pre-emptive user protections, a vast network of up-to-the-moment threat intelligence and revolutionary AI and non-AI engines.
- Pre-emptive user protections: To protect users across email and web, SandBlast network employs pre-emptive user protections, namely threat extraction and advanced email protections.
- AI-generated threat emulation verdicts: Inspecting files and emails for which no threat intelligence exists, SandBlast Network performs deep CPU-level emulation that is resistant to the most evasive attacks, even by nation states. It also employs OS-level inspection to examine a broad range of file types, including executables and documents, and emulates threats across PC and Mac devices, ensuring the best zero-day protection for all enterprise users.
IDEAL FOR:
- Enterprises
- Mid-market
PRODUCT WEBSITE: Product Brief
7. Trend Micro Deep Discovery Analyzer
Extend the value of your security investments with custom sandboxing. Custom sandboxes use virtual images matching your operating system applications, configurations, and patches. Difficult for hackers to evade, they include a “safe live mode” analyzing multi-stage downloads, URLs, C&C, and more. Leverage as sandboxing capacity for other Deep Discovery appliances or as a scalable stand-alone sandbox.
STATS & SPECIFICATIONS:
- Complete visibility: Built-in security operations capabilities like XDR, risk insights, and more give you visibility and continuous risk assessment across the enterprise. Manage cyber risk better while being more agile.
- Centralized visibility and investigation: Deep Discovery Analyzer is managed with a centralized platform, Trend Micro Apex Central. It provides a holistic view of your security across all Trend Micro security solutions and shares threat updates with your existing security platforms. Gain custom image management and control across multiple Deep Discovery systems.
IDEAL FOR:
- Enterprises
- Mid-market
PRODUCT WEBSITE: Trend Micro Deep Discovery Analyzer
8. Hillstone Cloud Sandbox
Advanced Malware has become so sophisticated that it can easily evade traditional security solutions including firewalls, IPS and Anti-Virus technologies. To address advanced malware, the Hillstone Cloud Sandbox delivers a unique, advanced threat detection platform that can emulate the execution environment and analyze all activities related to malicious files, identify advanced threats and collaborate with existing solutions to provide rapid remediation.
STATS & SPECIFICATIONS:
- Static analysis: Hillstone cloud sandbox executes static signature analysis of the files, such as identification of file types, file format, and the known malware signature. Additionally, the front filter technology (E.g. URL whitelist, file signature validation, sample database on cloud) can screen out the known threats to reduce the workload of sandbox.
- Behavioral analysis: Hillstone Cloud Sandbox can simulate multiple operation systems and running environments, and trigger file behaviors in the simulated environments that closely resemble real ones in production environments. The Sandbox uses a machine learning model to validate the file behavior.
- Cloud intelligence: By using threats intelligence information compiled globally from Hillstone network nodes, Hillstone Cloud Sandbox compares the static information and behavior of the files against the intelligence information, such as malware signatures, phishing websites and malicious domain names, and attaches every file with a risk evaluation score, rather than simply defining it as good or bad.
IDEAL FOR:
- Mid-market
- Small businesses
PRODUCT WEBSITE: Product Brief
In Conclusion…
Choosing the right network sandboxing software is crucial for organizations looking to enhance their cybersecurity defenses. By considering factors such as integration, scalability, performance, detection capabilities, ease of use, threat intelligence integration, customization, compliance, and support and updates, organizations can select a solution that best fits their needs.
Whether it’s seamless integration with existing security infrastructure, advanced threat detection capabilities, or user-friendly interfaces, the best network sandboxing software offers a combination of features and capabilities that can significantly enhance an organization’s security posture. Additionally, keeping compliance requirements and total cost of ownership in mind ensures that the chosen solution meets both security and budgetary needs.
Ultimately, investing in the right network sandboxing software can help organizations stay ahead of evolving cyber threats and protect their valuable data and assets.