What is a sandbox in cybersecurity?

A sandbox in cybersecurity refers to a controlled testing environment designed to isolate untested code, applications, or files from the broader production environment. This isolation is crucial because it allows security professionals to execute and analyze potentially harmful software without risking the integrity or security of the entire system or network.

By running code in a sandbox, analysts can observe its behavior, detect any malicious actions, and understand how it interacts with other software and systems. This is particularly important for identifying malware, conducting malware analysis, and testing new software or updates before they are implemented where they could affect operational capabilities or introduce vulnerabilities.

The other options pertain to different aspects of cybersecurity that are not related to the concept of a sandbox: physical security barriers protect physical premises, backup data storage focuses on data recovery processes rather than code execution, and traffic analysis involves monitoring network data flow, which is distinct from a testing environment used for application and code assessment.