Sandboxing

Sandboxing Skill

name: sandboxing version: 1.0.0 domain: security/isolation risk_level: HIGH languages: [python, c, rust, go] frameworks: [seccomp, apparmor, selinux, bubblewrap] requires_security_review: true compliance: [SOC2, FedRAMP] last_updated: 2025-01-15

MANDATORY READING PROTOCOL: Before implementing sandboxing, read references/advanced-patterns.md for defense-in-depth strategies and references/threat-model.md for container escape scenarios.

1. Overview

1.1 Purpose and Scope

This skill provides process isolation and sandboxing for JARVIS components:

• Linux: seccomp-bpf, AppArmor/SELinux, namespaces, cgroups
• Windows: AppContainer, Job Objects, Restricted Tokens
• macOS: sandbox-exec, App Sandbox entitlements
• Containers: Docker/Podman security contexts, Kubernetes SecurityContext

1.2 Risk Assessment

Risk Level: HIGH

Justification:

• Sandbox escapes allow full system compromise
• Misconfigurations negate all isolation benefits
• Kernel vulnerabilities bypass userspace controls
• Plugin/extension execution requires strong isolation

Attack Surface:

• Syscall filtering gaps
• Namespace escape vectors
• Capability misconfigurations
• Resource exhaustion attacks

2. Core Responsibilities

2.1 Primary Functions

1. Isolate untrusted code execution from host system
2. Restrict syscalls to minimum required set
3. Limit resources (CPU, memory, network, filesystem)
4. Enforce security policies via MAC (AppArmor/SELinux)
5. Contain failures to prevent cascade effects

2.2 Core Principles

• TDD First: Write tests for sandbox restrictions before implementation
• Performance Aware: Cache permissions, lazy-load capabilities, minimize syscall overhead
• Defense in Depth: Layer multiple isolation mechanisms
• Least Privilege: Grant minimum permissions required
• Fail Secure: Default deny all access

2.3 Security Principles

• NEVER run untrusted code without syscall filtering
• NEVER grant CAP_SYS_ADMIN to sandboxed processes
• ALWAYS drop all capabilities not explicitly required
• ALWAYS use read-only root filesystem where possible
• ALWAYS apply defense-in-depth (multiple layers)

3. Technology Stack

Recommended Tools: bubblewrap, firejail, nsjail, gVisor

4. Implementation Patterns

4.1 Seccomp-BPF Filter (python-seccomp)

import seccomp
import os

def create_minimal_sandbox():
    """Create minimal seccomp sandbox for untrusted code."""
    filter = seccomp.SyscallFilter(defaction=seccomp.KILL)

    # Essential syscalls
    essential = [
        'read', 'write', 'close', 'fstat', 'lseek',
        'mmap', 'mprotect', 'munmap', 'brk',
        'rt_sigaction', 'rt_sigprocmask', 'rt_sigreturn',
        'exit', 'exit_group', 'futex', 'clock_gettime',
    ]

    for syscall in essential:
        filter.add_rule(seccomp.ALLOW, syscall)

    return filter

def run_sandboxed(func, *args, **kwargs):
    """Execute function in seccomp sandbox."""
    filter = create_minimal_sandbox()
    pid = os.fork()

    if pid == 0:
        filter.load()
        try:
            func(*args, **kwargs)
            os._exit(0)
        except Exception:
            os._exit(1)
    else:
        _, status = os.waitpid(pid, 0)
        return os.WEXITSTATUS(status) == 0

📚 For custom BPF filters and advanced seccomp:

• See references/advanced-patterns.md#seccomp-bpf

4.2 Bubblewrap Sandbox (Recommended)

import subprocess
from typing import List

class BubblewrapSandbox:
    """High-level sandboxing using bubblewrap."""

    def __init__(self):
        self._args = ['bwrap']

    def with_minimal_filesystem(self) -> 'BubblewrapSandbox':
        self._args.extend([
            '--ro-bind', '/usr', '/usr',
            '--ro-bind', '/lib', '/lib',
            '--ro-bind', '/lib64', '/lib64',
            '--symlink', 'usr/bin', '/bin',
            '--proc', '/proc', '--dev', '/dev',
            '--tmpfs', '/tmp',
        ])
        return self

    def with_network_isolation(self) -> 'BubblewrapSandbox':
        self._args.append('--unshare-net')
        return self

    def drop_capabilities(self) -> 'BubblewrapSandbox':
        self._args.append('--cap-drop ALL')
        return self

    def run(self, command: List[str], timeout: int = 30):
        return subprocess.run(
            self._args + ['--'] + command,
            capture_output=True, timeout=timeout
        )

# Usage
def run_untrusted_script(script_path: str) -> str:
    sandbox = BubblewrapSandbox()
    sandbox.with_minimal_filesystem().with_network_isolation().drop_capabilities()
    result = sandbox.run(['python3', script_path], timeout=10)
    return result.stdout.decode()

📚 For namespace isolation and advanced bubblewrap:

• See references/advanced-patterns.md#namespaces

4.3 Kubernetes SecurityContext

apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: jarvis-worker
spec:
  securityContext:
    runAsNonRoot: true
    runAsUser: 1000
    fsGroup: 1000
    seccompProfile:
      type: RuntimeDefault

  containers:
  - name: worker
    image: jarvis-worker:latest
    securityContext:
      allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
      readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
      capabilities:
        drop: [ALL]

    resources:
      limits:
        cpu: "1"
        memory: "512Mi"

    volumeMounts:
    - name: tmp
      mountPath: /tmp

  volumes:
  - name: tmp
    emptyDir:
      medium: Memory
      sizeLimit: 64Mi

5. Implementation Workflow (TDD)

Step 1: Write Failing Test First

import pytest
from sandbox import SandboxManager

class TestSandboxRestrictions:
    """Test sandbox isolation before implementation."""

    @pytest.fixture
    def sandbox(self):
        return SandboxManager()

    def test_network_blocked(self, sandbox):
        """WRITE FIRST: Network access must be blocked."""
        result = sandbox.run(['curl', '-s', 'http://example.com'])
        assert result.returncode != 0, "Network should be blocked"

    def test_filesystem_readonly(self, sandbox):
        """WRITE FIRST: Root filesystem must be read-only."""
        result = sandbox.run(['touch', '/test-file'])
        assert result.returncode != 0, "Root FS should be read-only"

    def test_capabilities_dropped(self, sandbox):
        """WRITE FIRST: All capabilities must be dropped."""
        result = sandbox.run(['cat', '/proc/self/status'])
        assert 'CapEff:\t0000000000000000' in result.stdout

    def test_syscall_blocked(self, sandbox):
        """WRITE FIRST: Dangerous syscalls must be blocked."""
        # ptrace should be blocked by seccomp
        result = sandbox.run(['strace', 'ls'])
        assert result.returncode != 0, "ptrace should be blocked"

    def test_escape_attempt_fails(self, sandbox):
        """WRITE FIRST: Container escape must fail."""
        result = sandbox.run(['ls', '/proc/1/root'])
        assert result.returncode != 0, "Namespace escape blocked"

Step 2: Implement Minimum to Pass

class SandboxManager:
    def __init__(self):
        self._bwrap_args = ['bwrap', '--unshare-net', '--ro-bind', '/', '/',
                           '--cap-drop', 'ALL', '--seccomp', '3']

    def run(self, command, timeout=30):
        import subprocess
        return subprocess.run(self._bwrap_args + ['--'] + command,
                              capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=timeout)

Step 3: Refactor with Defense-in-Depth

class SandboxManager:
    def __init__(self, profile: str = 'strict'):
        self._bwrap_args = ['bwrap', '--unshare-all']
        if profile == 'network': self._bwrap_args.append('--share-net')
        self._bwrap_args.extend(['--ro-bind', '/usr', '/usr', '--tmpfs', '/tmp',
                                 '--cap-drop', 'ALL', '--seccomp', '3'])

Step 4: Run Full Verification

# Run all sandbox tests
pytest tests/sandbox/ -v --tb=short

# Test specific isolation features
pytest tests/sandbox/test_network.py -v
pytest tests/sandbox/test_capabilities.py -v
pytest tests/sandbox/test_escapes.py -v

# Security audit
python -m security_audit --sandbox

6. Performance Patterns

6.1 Permission Caching

# Bad: Load permissions from disk on every operation
def run_sandboxed(command):
    permissions = load_permissions_from_disk()  # Slow I/O every time
    return execute(command)

# Good: Cache with TTL
class PermissionCache:
    def __init__(self, ttl=300):
        self._cache, self._ttl = {}, ttl

    def get(self, profile):
        if profile in self._cache and time() - self._cache[profile][1] < self._ttl:
            return self._cache[profile][0]
        perms = load_from_disk(profile)
        self._cache[profile] = (perms, time())
        return perms

6.2 Lazy Capability Loading

# Bad: Load all security modules at startup
class Sandbox:
    def __init__(self):
        self.seccomp = load_seccomp_filters()      # Expensive
        self.apparmor = load_apparmor_profiles()   # Expensive

# Good: Lazy load only when needed
class Sandbox:
    _seccomp = None
    @property
    def seccomp(self):
        if self._seccomp is None: self._seccomp = load_seccomp_filters()
        return self._seccomp

6.3 Efficient IPC

# Bad: Serialize full state for each call
def send_to_sandbox(data):
    return sandbox.communicate(serialize_full_state() + data)

# Good: Use shared memory for large data
class EfficientIPC:
    def __init__(self, size=1024*1024):
        self._shm = mmap.mmap(-1, size)
    def send(self, data): self._shm.seek(0); self._shm.write(data)
    def recv(self, size): self._shm.seek(0); return self._shm.read(size)

6.4 Resource Pooling

# Bad: Create new sandbox for each task
for task in tasks:
    sandbox = create_sandbox()  # Expensive
    sandbox.run(task); sandbox.destroy()

# Good: Pool and reuse
class SandboxPool:
    def __init__(self, size=4):
        self._pool = Queue(size)
        for _ in range(size): self._pool.put(create_sandbox())
    def acquire(self): return self._pool.get()
    def release(self, sb): sb.reset(); self._pool.put(sb)

6.5 Minimal Privilege Sets

# Bad: Request all capabilities upfront
CAPS = ['CAP_NET_ADMIN', 'CAP_SYS_ADMIN', 'CAP_DAC_OVERRIDE', ...]

# Good: Minimal sets per operation
CAPABILITY_SETS = {
    'network_bind': ['CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE'],
    'file_read': [],
    'file_write': ['CAP_DAC_OVERRIDE'],
}
def get_caps(op): return CAPABILITY_SETS.get(op, [])

7. Security Standards

7.1 Known Vulnerabilities

7.2 OWASP Mapping

7.3 Defense-in-Depth Layers

1. Seccomp: Syscall filtering
2. Namespaces: Resource isolation
3. Capabilities: Privilege reduction
4. MAC: Mandatory access control (AppArmor/SELinux)
5. Cgroups: Resource limits

📚 For detailed OWASP coverage:

• See references/security-examples.md

8. Testing Requirements

class TestSandboxSecurity:
    def test_network_isolated(self, sandbox):
        assert sandbox.run(['curl', '-s', 'https://example.com']).returncode != 0
    def test_capabilities_dropped(self, sandbox):
        assert 'CapEff:\t0' in sandbox.run(['cat', '/proc/self/status']).stdout
    def test_escape_attempts_blocked(self, sandbox):
        assert sandbox.run(['ls', '/proc/1/root']).returncode != 0

📚 For complete test suite: See references/security-examples.md#testing

9. Common Mistakes

Critical Anti-Patterns

# ❌ NEVER: runAsUser: 0 (root)          ✅ ALWAYS: runAsNonRoot: true, runAsUser: 1000
# ❌ NEVER: add: [SYS_ADMIN]              ✅ ALWAYS: drop: [ALL], add only needed
# ❌ NEVER: privileged: true              ✅ ALWAYS: privileged: false
# ❌ NEVER: No seccomp profile            ✅ ALWAYS: seccompProfile: RuntimeDefault

# Example secure configuration
securityContext:
  runAsNonRoot: true
  runAsUser: 1000
  privileged: false
  allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
  capabilities: {drop: [ALL]}
  seccompProfile: {type: RuntimeDefault}

📚 For complete anti-patterns: See references/advanced-patterns.md#anti-patterns

10. Pre-Implementation Checklist

Phase 1: Before Writing Code

• Identify isolation requirements from PRD
• Review threat model for attack vectors
• Define minimal capability set needed
• Choose appropriate isolation layers
• Write failing tests for all restrictions

Phase 2: During Implementation

• Implement defense-in-depth layers
• Drop all capabilities, add back only required
• Apply seccomp filters for syscall blocking
• Configure namespace isolation
• Set up resource limits (cgroups)
• Use read-only root filesystem
• Run tests after each layer added

Phase 3: Before Committing

• All sandbox restriction tests pass
• Escape attempt tests verified
• No containers running as root
• allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
• seccompProfile: RuntimeDefault or stricter
• Resource limits defined
• Security audit completed
• Performance benchmarks acceptable

11. Summary

Key Objectives

1. Multi-layer defense: Combine seccomp, namespaces, capabilities, MAC
2. Minimal privileges: Drop all capabilities, run as non-root
3. Syscall filtering: Block dangerous syscalls by default
4. Container hardening: Read-only filesystem, no privilege escalation

Security Reminders

• A single misconfiguration can negate all sandboxing
• Defense-in-depth is essential - no single layer is sufficient
• Test escape attempts as part of security validation

References

• references/advanced-patterns.md - Custom seccomp, gVisor, namespaces
• references/security-examples.md - Platform-specific implementations
• references/threat-model.md - Container escape scenarios

Sandboxing is your last line of defense. When everything else fails, the sandbox must hold.