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Strip System Privileges

StripSystemPrivileges controls privilege removal from SYSTEM-source tokens created through specific SbieSvc service and RpcSs paths:

[DefaultBox]
StripSystemPrivileges=y

The default is y, which is the protective behavior.

Warning

StripSystemPrivileges=n restores the older, less-restricted behavior for affected SYSTEM-token paths and is not recommended.

Privileges removed

When enabled on an affected path, Sandboxie removes these privileges from the newly duplicated token:

  • SeTcbPrivilege
  • SeCreateTokenPrivilege

Sandboxie uses the Windows SE_PRIVILEGE_REMOVED operation. The privileges are removed from that token rather than merely disabled, so they cannot simply be re-enabled on the same token. SeAssignPrimaryTokenPrivilege is not removed by the current helper.

Runtime scope

The current implementation applies this setting when SbieSvc creates:

  • a SYSTEM-source token for a sandboxed service selected to run as SYSTEM;
  • a SYSTEM-source token for the relevant sandboxed RpcSs process-server path.

It does not apply to ordinary user-token service launches and should not be described as a global privilege filter for every sandboxed process or every SYSTEM process.

If token duplication, adjustment, or the required privilege-removal operation fails, the affected launch or token request fails rather than intentionally continuing with an unstripped SYSTEM token.

Configuration scope

StripSystemPrivileges is a box-wide Boolean setting. Normal template and global fallback can contribute its effective value when the box does not provide an overriding value. It is consulted when an affected token is created, so changing it does not modify tokens already assigned to running processes. Restart the affected sandboxed service or process after changing it.

SandMan

Open Sandbox Options > Security Options > Advanced Security and use:

Drop critical privileges from processes running with a SYSTEM token

The checkbox directly represents the protective setting:

  • checked: privilege removal is enabled, which is the default;
  • unchecked: SandMan writes StripSystemPrivileges=n.

Relationship to Session 0 startup

Start System Box uses a different startup path. A box being started in Session 0 with SYSTEM identity does not, by itself, cause that token to pass through the StripSystemPrivileges helper documented here.

Version history

StripSystemPrivileges was introduced in Sandboxie Plus 0.5.4 / Classic 5.46.0 as part of the fix for Security Issue ID-4.