Use a private desktop for Windows sandbox instead of Winsta0\Default (#14400)

## Summary
- launch Windows sandboxed children on a private desktop instead of
`Winsta0\Default`
- make private desktop the default while keeping
`windows.sandbox_private_desktop=false` as the escape hatch
- centralize process launch through the shared
`create_process_as_user(...)` path
- scope the private desktop ACL to the launching logon SID

## Why
Today sandboxed Windows commands run on the visible shared desktop. That
leaves an avoidable same-desktop attack surface for window interaction,
spoofing, and related UI/input issues. This change moves sandboxed
commands onto a dedicated per-launch desktop by default so the sandbox
no longer shares `Winsta0\Default` with the user session.

The implementation stays conservative on security with no silent
fallback back to `Winsta0\Default`

If private-desktop setup fails on a machine, users can still opt out
explicitly with `windows.sandbox_private_desktop=false`.

## Validation
- `cargo build -p codex-cli`
- elevated-path `codex exec` desktop-name probe returned
`CodexSandboxDesktop-*`
- elevated-path `codex exec` smoke sweep for shell commands, nested
`pwsh`, jobs, and hidden `notepad` launch
- unelevated-path full private-desktop compatibility sweep via `codex
exec` with `-c windows.sandbox=unelevated`
This commit is contained in:
iceweasel-oai authored and GitHub committed 2026-03-13 10:13:39 -07:00
1 parent 9c9867c9fa
commit 6b3d82daca
30 files changed
+416 -70

No files matched your search

+4
View File
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ pub struct ExecRequest {
pub expiration: ExecExpiration,
pub sandbox: SandboxType,
pub windows_sandbox_level: WindowsSandboxLevel,
pub windows_sandbox_private_desktop: bool,
pub sandbox_permissions: SandboxPermissions,
pub sandbox_policy: SandboxPolicy,
pub file_system_sandbox_policy: FileSystemSandboxPolicy,
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ pub(crate) struct SandboxTransformRequest<'a> {
pub codex_linux_sandbox_exe: Option<&'a PathBuf>,
pub use_legacy_landlock: bool,
pub windows_sandbox_level: WindowsSandboxLevel,
pub windows_sandbox_private_desktop: bool,
}
pub enum SandboxPreference {
@@ -593,6 +595,7 @@ impl SandboxManager {
codex_linux_sandbox_exe,
use_legacy_landlock,
windows_sandbox_level,
windows_sandbox_private_desktop,
} = request;
#[cfg(not(target_os = "macos"))]
let macos_seatbelt_profile_extensions = None;
@@ -705,6 +708,7 @@ impl SandboxManager {
expiration: spec.expiration,
sandbox,
windows_sandbox_level,
windows_sandbox_private_desktop,
sandbox_permissions: spec.sandbox_permissions,
sandbox_policy: effective_policy,
file_system_sandbox_policy: effective_file_system_policy,
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ fn transform_preserves_unrestricted_file_system_policy_for_restricted_network()
codex_linux_sandbox_exe: None,
use_legacy_landlock: false,
windows_sandbox_level: WindowsSandboxLevel::Disabled,
windows_sandbox_private_desktop: false,
})
.expect("transform");
@@ -502,6 +503,7 @@ fn transform_additional_permissions_enable_network_for_external_sandbox() {
codex_linux_sandbox_exe: None,
use_legacy_landlock: false,
windows_sandbox_level: WindowsSandboxLevel::Disabled,
windows_sandbox_private_desktop: false,
})
.expect("transform");
@@ -574,6 +576,7 @@ fn transform_additional_permissions_preserves_denied_entries() {
codex_linux_sandbox_exe: None,
use_legacy_landlock: false,
windows_sandbox_level: WindowsSandboxLevel::Disabled,
windows_sandbox_private_desktop: false,
})
.expect("transform");