Are there any good, maintained apps that sandbox an app or other service away from the rest of your phone ? Both WebApps and GApps Browser are deprecated and that is all I could find similar to what I am talking about.
Insular â Insular | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository
It does create work profile, so that apps installed in this profile donât have access to your mainland. However I noticed 2 downsides:
- If one app is installed in any profile, you can only clone it to other profiles. Android will not let you install different app with the same package name or signature.
- Termux does not work in work profile.
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Should be noted all apps are sandboxed.
Shelter and Insular are just to be able to give an app file access without it actually accessing your files, but that is also changing with Android 13. Additionally you can have a VPN only for the work profile which is nice.
And as for websites:
state partitioning achieves the same goal, see my list here noted as âper-site data isolationâ: Browsers - DivestOS Mobile
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The app Insular has got to be one of the best apps i have ever laid my fingers on.
I have my main Android OS and another Sandbox OS using Insular. Its great because the Sandbox/insular has secured all my data and keeps all my apps safe from hackers and junk files. I can also run Openvpn on both android and Insular.
If any of you have not tried Insular, give it a go. You will be amazed
All apps on Android are already sandboxed.
Work profiles have clear limitations and apps inside can even selectively see and interact outside of the profile.
And any actual vulnerabilities in the system cannot and will not be contained if a work profile app abuses such.
The Shelter description has this for example (applies to all work profile apps):
Shelter is not a full sandbox implementation. It cannot protect you from:
- Security bugs of the Android system or Linux kernel
- Backdoors installed in your Android system (so please use an open-source ROM if you are concerned about this)
- Backdoors installed into the firmwares (no way to work around this)
- Any other bugs or limitations imposed by the Android system.
Do you have any further proof or documentation to back up your statement. I persoannly am no expert but without further investigation I only have your word that apps are still vunrable when using Insular?
Not sure what needs proof from that list.
Bugs happenâŚ
Theres nothing backing up the statment therefore no proof from the list. Just someones word.
Did Google prove that software is bug free? Iâd guess that they did not, thatâs the point.
Did you check if one of these affect you: Google Android : Security vulnerabilities, CVEs published in 2022 ? Or 2021 or 2020 or âŚ
Come back when you can back it up 
Which aspect do you need clarification on @MrApt?
There is no proof, because that statement is just a general boiler plate disclaimer that applies to all mobile (and general) software. Beyond that it means nothing. This statement is simply being used by the âquoterâ to bring down the value of a particular app.
100% agreed. I will not be convinced that Insular has security problems until proof is provided. âThumbs Upâ
Can you please abstain from personal attacks?
Sorry, but describing what a person is doing is NOT a personal attack.
The App may not have security problems but even if that were true that doesnât mean it will protect you from any security threats.
Experience shows the products with boldest security claims frequently have the most problems.
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I think this is the best thing on android, I was very surprised by its features.
Hi DanilArt,
I 100% agree, its an amazing application. The best thing I like about it is its ability to copy every app on my Android. I can down load antything and experiment with the apps without worrying about it all. I never thought I could access the Insular app with OpenVPN installed inside, Now i have 2 Openvpnsâs, one on my main andriod OS and the other on Insular, Pure Genius!
I will not be convinced that Insular has benefits until proof is provided.
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