How do I use Windows Defender sandbox?

To enable and use the Windows Defender (Microsoft Defender Antivirus) sandbox, you need to configure it via the command line. Here's how:

1. Enable the Sandbox:

   • Open PowerShell or Command Prompt (CMD) as an administrator. Right-click on the Start Menu and select either "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" or "Command Prompt (Admin)."

   • Execute the following command:

     setx /M MP_FORCE_USE_SANDBOX 1

     This command sets an environment variable MP_FORCE_USE_SANDBOX to 1 at the system level, which forces Microsoft Defender Antivirus to utilize the sandbox environment.

2. Restart Your Device:

   • A restart is crucial for the changes to take effect. Reboot your computer after running the command above.

3. Verify the Sandbox is Running:

   • After restarting, check Task Manager to confirm that the sandbox process is running.

   • Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc).

   • Look for a process named MsMpEngCP.exe. This is the sandboxed process. You should still see MsMpEng.exe as well; MsMpEngCP.exe is the sandboxed component.

   • The location of these processes will typically be within the Windows Defender directories.

Explanation:

By default, Microsoft Defender Antivirus runs with certain privileges. Running it in a sandbox isolates it from the rest of the system. If malware attempts to exploit a vulnerability in Defender, the sandbox restricts the damage it can cause to the system. The MsMpEngCP.exe process represents the isolated, sandboxed environment where potentially risky operations are performed.

Important Considerations:

• This configuration change is system-wide, meaning it will affect all users on the computer.
• While the sandbox enhances security, it may also slightly impact performance. However, improvements in recent versions of Windows Defender have minimized this impact.