Google Chrome Dev Build Puts Flash in a Sandbox

On Wednesday Google announced a new developer test version of its Chrome Web browser that will place the code of Adobe's Flash Player plug-in in its own sandbox. For now, the update just applies to the Windows Versions of the browser.

A sandbox isolates the running code from the rest of the operating system so that its has no access to critical processes or data, thus preventing it from either intentionally or unintentionally doing harm. Flash has been famously criticized by Apple CEO Steve Jobs for its lack of security and stability.

Google already uses sandboxing for HTML rendering and JavaScript execution, making it one of the most secure browsers available.

The announcement appeared on the blog dedicated to Chromium, as the open source browser engine project is called. (To further complicate things, the company also plans an upcoming operating system, Chrome OS, using some of the same Chromium code base.) The blog post states that Google engineers have been working closely with Adobe to implement the plug-in sandboxing. Adobe recently used the technique in its own Reader X plugin for Acrobat PDF files.

According to the post, written by Google software engineers Justin Schuh and Carlos Pizano, "This first iteration of Chrome's Flash Player sandbox for all Windows platforms uses a modified version of Chrome's existing sandbox technology that protects certain sensitive resources from being accessed by malicious code, while allowing applications to use less sensitive ones. This implementation is a significant first step in further reducing the potential attack surface of the browser and protecting users against common malware."

The team intends to extend the sandboxing to other platforms such as Apple Mac OS and Linux. The update will go out automatically to Developer Channel users of Chrome, though a switch allows testers to disable the sandboxing. You can switch to this channel by visiting Google's Chrome early release page. But keep in mind that this version of the browser is meant for testers and developers, and contains known bugs.

If you instead choose to download the stable version, you'll be joining an avalanche of users, as the Chrome browser nears 10 percent of Internet penetration, up in worldwide usage share from 8.47 to 9.25 percent from this past October to November.

About Our Expert

Michael Muchmore

Contributor

My Experience

I've been testing PC and mobile software for more than 20 years, focusing on photo and video editing, operating systems, and web browsers. Prior to my current role, I covered software and apps for ExtremeTech and headed up PCMag’s enterprise software team. I’ve attended trade shows for Microsoft, Google, and Apple and written about all of them and their products.

I still get a kick out of seeing what's new in video and photo editing software, and how operating systems change over time. I was privileged to byline the cover story of the last print issue of PC Magazine, the Windows 7 review, and I’ve witnessed every Microsoft misstep and win, up to the latest Windows 11.

I’m an avid bird photographer and traveler—I’ve been to 40 countries, many with great birds! Because I’m also a classical music fan and former performer, I’ve reviewed streaming services that emphasize classical music.

Technology I Use

For everyday work, I use a good-old Dell tower with 16GB of RAM, a 12th-gen Intel Core i7 processor, and an Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti GPU that runs on Windows 11. I pair it with a 4K Lenovo ThinkVision P27u-10 monitor and a Logitech MX Vertical mouse. For offsite work, I use a 2024 Microsoft Surface Laptop with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor. Camera-wise, I moved to mirrorless from a Canon EOS 80D with a Canon 70-300mm IS USM lens. I now have a Canon EOS R7 with a 100-400mm lens, but I miss my DSLR for several reasons.

In order of usage, the software I turn to most frequently is the Edge web browser, Slack, Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft 365, Firefox, Brave, and WhatsApp. I use the Windows Phone link app to see everything on my Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra phone, which has excellent telephoto capability.

For fitness monitoring, I have a Fitbit Charge 6 and use an Anker Smart Scale P1. I’m also a streaming fan, so I subscribe to both Amazon Music Unlimited (especially for its Dolby Atmos content) and Qobuz (for its high-res sound quality and classical catalog). I recently added a Vizio 5.1 Soundbar SE, which sounds surprisingly good given its low price. To holler commands instead of using a remote control, I have the Amazon Fire TV Cube in the living room, which lets me verbally tell the TV what I want to watch. It hooks up to an LG B4 OLED TV. I have a Sonos One speaker in my kitchen that also ties in with Alexa, as does the Echo Dot 2 With Clock in my bedroom. For serious listening, I have B&W 601 speakers plugged into a Conrad-Johnson Sonographe amp and preamp, with a Cambridge Audio AXN10 streamer as source. For reading, I also have a Nook GlowLight 3.

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