BrowserBox

🌀 Browse the whole web from a web page. Remote browser isolation. For compliance, integration, security, privacy and more! By https://dosyago.com

BrowserBox

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JavaScript

	BrowserBox

NEWS: Get out to Vote. Trump 2024. MAGA Forever 🇺🇸

NEWS: License Keys will be mandatory from Version 10 onwards.

BrowserBox

BrowserBox: a browser you run on a server, rather than your local device. The web browser becomes a web app. Abstract your web content. Secure your network. Program across sites. Access the web from anywhere, anywhere!

BrowserBox is a tiny, web-based browser that’s embeddable anywhere. It’s also multiplayer, allowing
many clients to screen share the same browsing session at the same time. It’s lightweight and fast,
consuming the minimum system resources while adapting its streaming quality to take advantage of as
much bandwidth as is available to provide a low-lag, responsive experience.

It’s the only remote browser that works seamlessly on mobile devices, because, instead of just using a
virtual desktop or VNC layer, we virtualize the browser itself and fully control every part of it, ensuring
when you view BrowserBox on a mobile device, you get a mobile browser on the server.

TRY NOW!

TRY NOW on Puter.com!

Install and Run Options

We provide a variety of install and run options, with instructions listed in this README. They include:

Docker Hub - pull, then use ./deploy-scripts/run_docker.sh after tagging the pulled image to ghcr.io/browserbox/browserbox:latest
GitHub Container Registry - just use ./deploy-scripts/run_docker.sh directly or via bash redirect with curl (the no clone option 🚀).
Manual git clone and ./deploy-scripts/global_install.sh - simple, flexible, direct. Perfect for development. See the screencast — Deploying BrowserBox from 0 to 1: “Recorded in High Definition ASCII-nema Vision”
1-Click Cloud Deploy to Vultr, AWS, Azure or Linode - great for using it right away.
Pull from a mirror (SourceForge, but it lags behind the official repo on GitHub), or a fork (https://github.com/BrowserBox/BrowserBox/forks) – then use one the manual install option. But we recommend always using the latest code from our Official BrowserBox GitHub Repository.
Windows Edition - via the PowerShell Gallery installer package. In beta, so currently may be a little brittle or fragile, but the only option if you need to run natively on Windows. As a bonus we figured out how to get audio to stream from a Windows server without an active RDP connection, and without installing a virtual audio driver. We rock! 🚀 ❤️

Getting Started Guide

You may run BrowserBox via a variety of easy to access means. The simplest and most stable is the full manual install. Simple spin up a VPS, VM baremetal server, or even your local device of choice and follow the instructions below and you’ll be up and running in two jiffies! 😹

[!NOTE]
In case you’re wondering, right now we don’t track any telemetry at all. Not even that email address you’ll enter. We plan to, in future one day, begin collecting at least your email, for the following purpose only: to very cautiously and tripatiously invite you to join a mailing list to receive updates on BrowserBox. But not today.

Install and Run Via Docker - Easiest and Fastest, but can be less Reliable ✅

To run BrowserBox docker easily you need to use the included run script: ./deploy-scripts/run_docker.sh PORT HOST EMAIL and follow the instructions.

Equivalently, use npm to install the global bbox command which just executes the docker run script:

$ npm i -g @dosyago/browserbox@latest
$ bbox

[!NOTE]
We use a run script to avoid you needing to manually bridge a range of ports, run the correct command, and ensure HTTPS certificates are set up across a range of deployment scenarios. Worry not, our intrepid run_docker.sh script will guide you through everything you need.

You can get started right away, just follow the prompts when you run the below to install and run the latest BrowserBox on Docker:

bash <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/BrowserBox/BrowserBox/boss/deploy-scripts/run_docker.sh) 9999 my-browser.example.com [email protected]

[!TIP]
That’s all you need! Just ensure you replace the examples values above with the correct PORT, HOST, and EMAIL you wish to use for your deployment. Finally, a head’s up: the run script may prompt you to perform some setup steps, especially on macOS. Follow those and you’ll be on your way to BrowserBox Land in no time! 😹

A note on the arguments

PORT is the main port where BrowserBox will run.
HOST is the hostname of the server where BrowserBox will run. It can either be localhost or a fully-qualified domain name, backed by a DNA a record.
EMAIL is your email address, to agree to our terms^[1] and LetsEncrypt’s terms^[2]

[!WARNING]
Apple macOS users may find the Docker version to be the least stable. A common problem encountered when running BrowserBox Docker on macOS is tabs inexplicably freeze on occasion. A workaround is to close the problem tab, and resume in a new tab. This issues does not occur in BrowserBox Docker on other systems.

Custom Docker Options

If you want, you can run a specific version manually, even pull it from Docker Hub. Just make sure you tag it as ghcr.io/dosyago/browserbox:latest, so you can run it via the (very much necessary) run_script:

docker pull dosyago/browserbox:v7.1.2
docker tag dosyago/browserbox:v7.1.2 ghcr.io/browserbox/browserbox:latest
PORT=9999
HOST=browserbox.example.com
[email protected]
bash <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/BrowserBox/BrowserBox/boss/deploy-scripts/run_docker.sh) $PORT $HOST $EMAIL

Alternate

Alternately you can clone the repository first and run the script direclty, like so:

git clone https://github.com/BrowserBox/BrowserBox
cd BrowserBox
./deploy-scripts/run_docker.sh $PORT $HOST $EMAIL

1-Click Deploy - Deploy BrowserBox to the cloud instantly! ✅ 🎉 🌀

By far the easiest and most fun method, 1-Click-Deploy BrowserBox is ready to deploy today on a number of popular cloud providers. See below for details. Just click the links to start your deployment and you’ll be up and running in no time!

[!NOTE]
There’s no licensing fees for personal use so all you pay are your own cloud costs. Just use one of the cloud providers below to start browsing the web from a safe distance!

What are you waiting for? Give it a try now!

	Vultr	AWS	Linode	Azure Quickstart *(recommended)**
Deploy	Deploy to Vultr	Deploy to AWS	Deploy to Linode	Quickstart Template

If you have issues with your deployment, it’s a good idea check the cloud provider status page:

It’s also a great idea to check cloud ping test (internet speed and round-trip time) sites before you create your 1-click deployment to create in the cloud region with the lowest ping for you.

If you encounter any issues at all or wish to discuss licenses or customizations, or anything else, reach out to us at [email protected].

* Azure is our recommended option because it makes deployment easieset: no need to add a separate DNS record for your instance; and Azure even emails you when the deployment is complete!

Manual Install - Most Flexible, and Most Reliable ✅

Before we show you the step by step instructions, we’ll just show you the whole thing, in one block:

git clone https://github.com/BrowserBox/BrowserBox.git
cd BrowserBox
./deploy-scripts/wait_for_hostname.sh my.awesome.host.com
./deploy-scripts/global_install.sh my.awesome.host.com [email protected]
setup_bbpro --port 8080 > my.login.link.txt
bbpro
cat my.login.link.txt

You can try this right now if you just want to try it out, and don’t care about getting the rights certificates for production or accessing over the public internet.

The above commands will download, install, setup and start BrowserBox, as well as output your login link for you. Open that link (which looks like: https://localhost:8080/login?token=csdkjhvsdfkjhv3498ysdf) in your regular browser.

To stop your instance just issue the stop_bbpro command.

[!TIP]
The above simple method uses my.awesome.host.com as the hostname for your BrowserBox instance. You’ll need to ensure you’ve set a DNS A record from my.awesome.host.com or your actual full domain name, to the IP address of the machine you’re running BrowserBox on.

Now, let’s show you the full manual install.

Download and Clone the Git Repository, and jump into the directory:

git clone https://github.com/BrowserBox/BrowserBox.git
cd BrowserBox

Point your DNS to your machine’s IP with an A record mapping your chosen domain name to the IPv4 address of your VPS, VM, baremetal or whatever you’re setting up on.

Check that your hostname (you were creative so you picked: my.awesome.host.com) resolves by running:

./deploy-scripts/wait_for_hostname.sh my.awesome.host.com

Once DNS is set up Begin the Install:

Run the install script using your instance’s full domain name and your email address. Email is for agreeing to our terms and the HTTPS certificate provider’s (aka LetsEncrypt’s) terms. We don’t spam you! We may send you a product announce in future tho, or invite you to join a list, but such a vile transgression of the sanctity of your holy email space would be an exceedingly rare, and cautiously approached, occurrence!

./deploy-scripts/global_install.sh my.awesome.host.name.com [email protected]

this will take you through the attended install where you’ll need to follow prompts. To just get the defaults (good idea), you can alter that command slightly to be a yes person for you 😹:

yes | ./deploy-scripts/global_install.sh my.so-awesome.host.name.com [email protected]

The above will run an unattended install, where it does everything for you, and you can go away and fix yourself a delicious beverage, or what not.

[!TIP]
The user you install with will need sudo capabilities. But you do not need sudo caps to run BrowserBox once it is already installed.

Once Install Completes, Set Up, and Run! 🎉

As soon as installation completes you’ll be ready to run BrowserBox using the following two key commands:

setup_bbpro --port 9999
bbpro

setup_bbpro will setup BrowserBox to bind to port 9999 (plus two either side for all its services. So ports 9997 through 10001 in this case).And will also return your very valuable, secret and crucial login link. This is your only way to access your BrowserBox. We save it to $HOME/.config/dosyago/bbpro/login.link if you lost it. Treat it like an screen sharing invite link, anyone you share that link with will be able to share, watch and drive your BrowserBox session, just like you. It’s a free for all! Some may call it a melee. 😂

bbpro will start BrowserBox. Give it a couple seconds to start up.

Latest News

v7.1.2 Maintenance Release

Our new maintenance release has just landed and includes a range of minor improvements to stability across the diverse OS platforms supported by BrowserBox, including 1-Click deploy. Of note are the support of unprivileged users, and a drastic speedup of install times for the full (including doc viewer) install. Read more here.

We’ve also translated a brief README introduction to BrowserBox into a few languages. See the links at the top of the README for a version that might be in your preferred language.

Contributing

A few tips for development:

Ensure you use ./deploy-scripts/build_docker.sh to build the Docker image. We build on macOS using Docker Desktop. Building on other platforms is not officially supported, tho we are open to reviewing a PR that adds a Podman build script.
npm test in the root directory runs the copy of BrowserBox in the current directory. bbpro runs the globally installed copy. setup_bbpro (equivalently: ./deploy-scripts/_setup_bbpro.sh) configures BrowserBox and applies to any copy you run, regardless of whether you run with npm test, or bbpro.
Setting the ./src/common.js DEBUG.mode key to dev uses the unbundled, unminified client code in ./src/public/voodoo. Ensure you do this if you want to modify client-side code.

Contributors and developers take a look at these source diagrams of BrowserBox.

They contain 3 main parts: Back-end (Zombie Lord), Front-end (Voodoo), User-interface

BrowserBox “Zombie-Lord” Server

Here is a snapshot in 3D of the back-end. Click to play.

Zombie-Lord is the back-end. It controls, and senses the browser and all interactions and state related to it.

Click for an Interactive version of the above 3D back-end graph.

BrowserBox “Voodoo” Client

Here is a snapshot in 3D of the front-end. Click to play.

Voodoo is the client. It contains all client-side logic, interprets human-side user events, and presents notices from the browser-side.

Click for an Interactive version of the above 3D front-end graph.

The UI Framework

And neither of these above creations includes the Good.HTML view framework, which begins at src/public/voodoo/src/components and contains all the UI logic and components to present the UI.

Taken together these 3 parts comprise BrowserBox Remote Browser.

Vultr Marketplace

We just launched on the Vultr Marketplace!

Vultr is a cloud services provider offering a wide range of scalable, high-performance computing resources and solutions for businesses and developers, with affordable prices in over 30 regions around the globe. The Vultr Marketplace is a burgeoning cloud marketplace with around 100 vetted vendors and apps.

Launch BrowserBox on Vultr

One-Click Deploy

Deploy BrowserBox to the cloud instantly!

There’s no licensing fees for personal use so all you pay are your own cloud costs. Just use one of the cloud providers below to start browsing the web from a safe distance!

What are you waiting for? Give it a try now!

	Vultr	AWS	Linode	Azure Quickstart *(recommended)**
Deploy	Deploy to Vultr	Deploy to AWS	Deploy to Linode	Quickstart Template

If you have issues with your deployment, it’s a good idea check the cloud provider status page:

It’s also a great idea to check cloud ping test (internet speed and round-trip time) sites before you create your 1-click deployment to create in the cloud region with the lowest ping for you.

* Azure is our recommended option because it makes deployment easieset: no need to add a separate DNS record for your instance; and Azure even emails you when the deployment is complete!

New Docker Release v7.1

The v7.1 release includes all the updates from the latest 7-series major release plus a few more.

Key points on the v7.1 release are below:

Secure Document Viewer enabled by default!

BrowserBox’s secure document viewer for content-disarm and reconstruction-based secure viewing of all PDFs, DOCX, XLS, and many other document formats, right in the browser!

[!TIP]
Once the document has downloaded, a popup window will open where you can see the conversion status and eventually view the document. If that doesn’t happen, look for a warning about “popup blocked”, in which case you’ll need to “allow popups” on your browser in order to see it. If this happens, click the download link again to give the doc viewer window another chance to reopen.

Due to customer requests, BrowserBox’s Secure Document Viewer is now enabled by default! Please note that this will cause installation to take longer as many font packages are installed to ensure the correct display of a variety of document formats including: PDF, DOCX and more!

Windows Support 😹 🎉

BrowserBox has just landed support for Windows and we’re on PowerShell Gallery. Including Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022. Other platforms will be rolled out as they are tested. See the table below:

Windows Edition	Compatibility
Windows Server 2022	✅
Windows Server 2019	✅
Windows 11	✅
Windows 10	✅

To install and run on Windows, first do the following in PowerShell as Administrator:

# you may need the following 2 lines to install from PSGallery 
# if your package managers need updating
Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass
Install-PackageProvider Nuget -Force 
Install-Module -Name PowerShellGet -Force

Then close and reopen your PowerShell session, and run as regular user:

# the main part to install BrowserBox installer
Install-Module -Name BrowserBox-Installer

Then

Import-Module BrowserBox-Installer
Install-BrowserBox

When prompted enter the Domain name that will point to your Windows instance, and your Email address for agreeing to our terms, and LetsEncrypt terms. Then, configure your BrowserBox instance (-Port and optionally -Token for the login link):

Initialize-BrowserBox -Port 8080

[!NOTE]
While BrowserBox opens ports on the operating system, if your cloud uses external firewalls, ensure ports Port-2 through Port+2 (8078-8082 in the example above) are opened in your control panel.

After running Initialize-Browserbox you’ll have your login link and you’ll be ready to start BrowserBox and connect.

Finally, to start 'er up, type:

Start-BrowserBox

And open your login-link in any modern browser anywhere. Note that if you’re connected over RDP this step will disconnect your RDP session
as we perform some voodoo-foo in order to utilize the pre-existing and good RDP Audio Driver in a way that lets us retain
an audio stream even when you’re not connected to your server.

[!TIP]
If you have trouble with the initial install module step (message aboutNuGet versions), this is probably a PS issue, so try (elevated):

Install-PackageProvider Nuget -Force
Install-Module -Name PowerShellGet -Force

Then restart (close and reopen) your PowerShell session and try again.

Any other issues with the installation on Windows then please open an issue or reach out to us at anytime at email or Signal

1-Click Deploy!

We’re currently increasing our support for marketplaces and one-click-deploy, we’ve just been included in Azure Quickstart Samples.

Soon, we’re also launching on the Vultr Marketplace. So, come one come all and check us out! 🥇😄

Deploy to Azure!

We’ve just added support for Azure Templates so you can click the Deploy buttons below to immediately create your BrowserBox instance.

Alternately, find us via Microsoft Code Samples search or directly in the Azure Quickstarts portal.

Easy Deployment! 🪅

Step	Outcome	Result
1	or	✅
2	then Unlock tremendous value.	✅

Supported Server OS Table

Distribution	Compatibility
macOS 13	✅
Fedora 39	✅
RHEL 8	✅
CentOS 9	✅
CentOS 8	✅
Kali	✅
Almalinux 9	✅
Almalinux 8	✅
Debian 12	✅
Debian 11	✅
Ubuntu 23	✅
Ubuntu 22	✅
Amazon Linux 2023	✅
Amazon Linux 2	✅
FreeBSD	✖️†

[!WARNING]
† FreeBSD support is impossible at this time due this Chrome bug.

Supported Client Browser Table

Browser	Compatibility	Desktop	Android	iOS
Firefox	✅	✅	✅	✅
Chrome	✅	✅	✅	✅
Safari	✅	✅	N/A	✅
Safari (LockDown mode)	✅	✅	N/A	✅
Edge	✅	✅	✅	✅
Brave	✅	✅	✅	✅
Tor Browser	✅	✅	✅	✅

🌎 Deploy BrowserBox Easily

We’re excited to announce the release of our Azure Resource Manager (ARM) template! We’re also excited to announce the release of our AWS CloudFormation template and our Linode StackScript, designed to simplify the deployment of BrowserBox instances on AWS and Linode. Seamlessly launch your BrowserBox in the cloud with these easy-to-use templates.

One-Click Deploy

	Vultr	AWS	Linode	Azure Quickstart
Deploy	Deploy to Vultr	Deploy to AWS	Deploy to Linode	Quickstart Template

💎 Deploy to Azure

Ready to tap the awesome power of Azure to run your BrowserBox instances?

Now you can, simple and easily.

Use our ARM template to get started quickly.

🚀 Deploy on AWS

Ready to launch BrowserBox on AWS EC2?

Use our CloudFormation template to get started quickly.

Or pick your specific region below:

Get Started on your nearest AWS Region

Click the link below corresponding to your preferred AWS Region.
You will be asked a few questions about services like VPC, Hostname, etc; if you have no idea how to answer, reach out at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to help.

🌎 North America

Region	Launch BrowserBox
N. Virginia (us-east-1)
Ohio (us-east-2)
N. California (us-west-1)
Oregon (us-west-2)

🌍 Europe

Region	Launch BrowserBox
Frankfurt (eu-central-1)
Ireland (eu-west-1)
London (eu-west-2)
Paris (eu-west-3)
Stockholm (eu-north-1)
Milan (eu-south-1)

🌏 Asia Pacific

Region	Launch BrowserBox
Tokyo (ap-northeast-1)
Seoul (ap-northeast-2)
Osaka (ap-northeast-3)
Singapore (ap-southeast-1)
Sydney (ap-southeast-2)
Hong Kong (ap-east-1)
Mumbai (ap-south-1)

🇧🇷 South America

Region	Launch BrowserBox
São Paulo (sa-east-1)

🇨🇦 Canada

Region	Launch BrowserBox
Central (ca-central-1)

We’ve also got you covered on Linode!

🌐 Linode StackScript: Prefer Linode as your cloud service provider? Deploy a new Linode instance pre-configured with BrowserBox. Deploy your BrowserBox on Linode.

Remember: You’ll need to create your DNS hostname record to point to your EC2 or Linode instance’s IP, after you set it up. Supply the hostname you will use to these templates. The nascent instance will wait up to 1 hour for the hostname to resolve to its IP.

Please note: we mostly work with Debian 12, CentOS 9, Amazon Linux, Ubuntu and MacOS, so while BrowserBox should work on other compatible distributions, if it doesn’t please let us know. If you encounter any issues at all, then open an issue or email [email protected] and we’ll do our best to help you out!

🧅 New Feature - Tor Support

tor-iframe:

<iframe src="https://mybrowserbox.server.com:9999/login?token=cviuygf3498tysifud&ui=false&url=[&quot;https://check.torproject.org&quot;]"
        style="border:none; width:100%; height:100%;"
        allowfullscreen
        scrolling="no">
</iframe>

On server:

$ IFRAME_LINK=$(setup_bbpro -p 9999 --ontor)

You can now browse the web through Tor when using BrowserBox. BrowserBox also supports running itself as a Tor hidden service, so you can access your BrowserBox instances over the Tor network.

BrowserBox with --ontor on macOS successfully on the Tor network as checked at https://check.torproject.org

Donate to Tor

🌟 What Else is New in BrowserBox

We’re thrilled to announce the following major updates to BrowserBox that will enhance your user experience and streamline your workflow!

What’s New in BrowserBox
BrowserBox on Tor
Installable PWAs on Desktop
Protocol Links Support
Latest News: BrowserBox Hidden Services!
AWS EC2 Installation
Docker Quick Start
Special Event: Ephemeral Web Proxy
General README

🚨 BrowserBox on Tor!

🌍 Enhanced Privacy with Tor Support

We are excited to announce that BrowserBox now supports Tor, providing you with a more private and secure browsing experience. This feature is still in alpha, but we’re committed to continuously improving it to match the security level of the Tor Browser over time.

Key Features:

Onion Sites Accessibility: Browse .onion websites seamlessly.
Privacy-First Browsing: Enhanced encryption for anonymity and security. Tor conceals the IP address of your RBI server.
Socks5 Proxy Integration: Traffic securely routed over a Socks5 proxy.
Simple Tor Activation: Easy activation using the --ontor flag.
Platform Compatibility: Tested on macOS and Debian.

⚙️ Using BrowserBox with Tor

Activate Tor in BrowserBox with this command:

$ setup_bbpro <your-normal-args> --ontor
$ bbpro

If you want to switch it off again, shut down as normal (pm2 delete all), and re-run setup_bbpro without the --ontor flag.

Start exploring the web with Tor’s added security.

⚠️ Important Caveats and Commitment to Security

As this Tor integration is in alpha, there are several important considerations:

Proxy and Tor Escapes: There’s a potential for some requests to bypass the Socks5 Tor proxy or Tor itself, which could impact privacy. We are actively working to identify and mitigate these risks.
Adherence to Tor Guidelines: We aspire to aligning our Tor integration as closely as possible with the best practices recommended by the Tor Project. This includes careful configuration to prevent leaks and maintaining the anonymity that Tor provides.
Ongoing Security Enhancements: Our goal is to eventually provide a level of security comparable to the Tor Browser. We’ll be regularly updating and improving the Tor functionality in BrowserBox.
Exploring Alternatives: We are considering the integration of alternative browsers like Brave as the underlying engine for RBI, which may offer a more secure base than Chrome for Tor browsing.

💬 Your Input is Valuable

Your feedback is crucial for our continuous improvement. Please report any issues or suggestions to enhance the Tor functionality on our GitHub issues page. Contributions, especially those that help achieve parity with Tor Browser’s security, are highly appreciated.

Stay tuned for more updates and enhancements in BrowserBox, and as always, enjoy a secure browsing experience!

🚀 Installable PWAs on Desktop

You can now install BrowserBox as a Progressive Web App (PWA) on your desktop! This means smoother performance, offline capabilities, and a more integrated experience with your operating system.

Key Benefits:

Seamless Integration: Feel the power of a native app with the flexibility of a web application.
Offline Access: Access essential features even without an internet connection.
Reduced Resource Usage: Enjoy a more efficient use of system resources compared to traditional web browsing.

🔗 Protocol Links Support

Introducing protocol links support with web+bb://. Now, you can open links directly in BrowserBox by prefacing them with web+bb://. This feature allows for more efficient navigation and a streamlined process to access web content.

How it Works:

Simply prefix your URL with web+bb://.
For example, to open https://example.com, use web+bb://https://example.com.
The link will automatically open in BrowserBox, providing a seamless browsing experience.

This update is part of our ongoing commitment to enhance BrowserBox and make your web experience as efficient and enjoyable as possible. Try out these new features and let us know what you think!

Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, happy browsing with BrowserBox!

🚨 Latest News: BrowserBox Hidden Services!

GitHub Actions Method

Before starting, fork or generate this repo to your account.

Then ensure that:

Issues are switched on, and
Actions are enabled.

To begin the action to create your BrowserBox Tor Hidden Service, click Submit New Issue, on this special issue template.

DIY Method with `torbb`

Please note you need to install from a non-root sudo-capable user. We recommend adding the appropriate NOPASSWD line to your sudoers file. For instructions see below. Also important is, if not using localhost as your hostname, you need to add your DNS A record for <hostname> to point to the IP address of your machine before running your install script.

Alternately, use the new torbb command:

$ git clone https://github.com/BrowserBox/BrowserBox.git
$ cd BrowserBox
$ yes | ./deploy-scripts/global_install.sh <hostname|'localhost'> <email>
$ setup_bbpro --port <my_port>
$ torbb

Please note ensure you set export INSTALL_DOC_VIEWER=true before calling the global_install script, if you wish to have the Secure Document Viewer installed. It is off by default because the installation takes significantly longer with it installed.

💎 We’re excited to announce that BrowserBox can now run as a hidden service on the Tor network! This significant update brings enhanced privacy and security, allowing you to access BrowserBox with the anonymity of Tor. Check out our Show HN post: torbb - Now with Tor, run BrowserBox as a hidden service.

Getting Started with BrowserBox on Tor

Download Mkcert Root CA: For a smoother experience on Tor, download and install the Mkcert Root CA, unique to each installation, to avoid certificate warnings. Installation Guide, and Helpful Video Tutorial How-To for macOS.
Create Your Hidden Service: Fork this repository and open an issue using the “Make BB Hidden Service” template. A GitHub action will automatically create your unique .onion link. Learn more.
Try it now: Fork or generate this repository, and create an issue from the template to get your BrowserBox running on Tor! Fork here / Generate here.

BrowserBox - AWS EC2 Installation

New Video: Installing BrowserBox on Amazon AWS EC2 Amazon Linux

General install instructions:

git clone https://github.com/BrowserBox/BrowserBox.git
cd BrowserBox
./deploy-scripts/global_install.sh <hostname> <my_email>
setup_bbpro --port <my_port>
bbpro

Docker Quick Start 💎 Version 6

November 4 2023: New version released. Docker image v6.

First ensure you have docker installed and running! 😃 Then run:

PORT=8080 # or your preferred port
bash <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/BrowserBox/BrowserBox/e300055d5dc3e6c6edc1c89d6221792ab08286de/deploy-scripts/run_docker.sh) $PORT

That’s it! Follow the prompts to set up certificates and it will emit a link that you can send open in any web browser.

Update: Docker image now works on macOS!!! 🎉

Special Event! 🤙 Create a private ephemeral Web Proxy hosted on your GitHub Actions minutes by opening an issue on this repo

Steps:

fork or generate this repo to your own account, come back to these steps in your own repo!
Switch on actions and issues
In your fork, open the Make VPN issue

By default the remain open for 5 minutes, but you can make that longer by editing the workflow YAML file. Each minute used counts against your GitHub actions quota. Also, don’t do anything abusive with this, remember you are browsing the web from inside GitHub’s infrastructure (actions runners), so treat them with respect!

Limitations: no audio, no DevTools, no docviewer (Because the ports are not accesible, although the services are running)

BrowserBox - General README

BrowserBox is a leading-edge solution in the Zero Trust landscape, enabling embeddable multiplayer browsers in any web page on any device. Our cybersecurity focus is on ensuring that every web interaction is treated as potentially hostile, and isolating it, so that we protect your devices and network from harm.

BrowserBox Availability

Cross-platform status:

Platform	Status
Docker	✅
Ubuntu	✅
Debian	✅
CentOS 9	✅
macOS	✅
Amazon Linux (AWS EC2).	✅
Windows	✅
Windows WSL	✅

Content delivery services status:

Channel	Browser Service	Audio	Secure Document Viewer	Remote DevTools	WebRTC
HTTPS/DNS	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Installed Web App (PWA)	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Tor Hidden Service	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌
SSH Tunnel	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
ngrok*	✅	❌	❌	❌	✅

*audio, doc viewer, remote devtools not currently configured to work with ngrok, but support will be added in future.

Web application virtualization via Zero Trust Remote Browser Isolation and Secure Document Gateway

By leveraging the principles of Remote Browser Isolation (RBI), real-time streaming and collaborative browserin (co-browsing or “multiplayer browsers”), BrowserBoxPro ensures that no web content directly interacts with the end user’s device, while remaining accessible through a shareable, collaborative interface.

This guide will walk you through the seamless integration of BrowserBoxPro into your Zero Trust architecture.

BrowserBox: Zero Trust Browsing

Embracing Zero Trust with BrowserBox

In the evolving cybersecurity landscape, the Zero Trust model has emerged as a cornerstone. By assuming no trust by default and verifying every access request irrespective of its source, Zero Trust ensures robust security. BrowserBoxPro is at the forefront of this paradigm shift, offering:

Web Isolation: Every web session is isolated, ensuring malicious content doesn’t reach the end-user’s device.
Co-Browsing: Collaborative browsing without compromising security.
Zero Trust Integration: Easily integrates into your existing Zero Trust infrastructure.

For the latest on how BrowserBox is shaping the Zero Trust landscape, visit our Company Blog.

Updated Pricing - now with even more tiers for smaller use cases!
BrowserBox Goes Open Source with Multiple Licenses
Tunnelling over SSH - You’re guide to using Localhost Certificates and SSH port-forwarding to run BrowserBox on a remote machine without a domain name, using SSH tunneling

Key Features

Advanced Streaming: BrowserBoxPro offers advanced streaming capabilities, allowing you to seamlessly browse websites, stream videos, and access web applications with superior performance.
Enhanced Feature Set: Enjoy a wide range of enhanced features that enhance your browsing experience, including improved security, customizable settings, and optimized resource management.
Superior Performance: BrowserBoxPro delivers exceptional performance, ensuring smooth and responsive browsing even for resource-intensive websites and applications.
Flexible Usage: Whether you are a non-commercial user or using BrowserBoxPro for commercial purposes, you can benefit from the full range of pro features to enhance your browsing capabilities.

Deploying BrowserBoxPro in a Zero Trust Environment with Docker

Before diving in, ensure you have docker installed!

Deploying BrowserBoxPro within a Zero Trust framework is straightforward:

Obtain the latest Docker container for BrowserBoxPro from our packages page on GitHub Container Registry.
Deploy the Docker container using our Zero Trust compliant run script. Choose a primary port number ($PORT) ensuring two extra ports are free both preceding and succeeding $PORT. Deploy by running:

PORT=8080 # or your preferred port
bash <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/BrowserBox/BrowserBox/2034ab18fd5410f3cd78b6d1d1ae8d099e8cf9e1/deploy-scripts/run_docker.sh) $PORT

Upon successful deployment, BrowserBoxPro will be operational, reinforcing your Zero Trust strategy. Access the browser using the provided login link: https://<your-host>:$PORT/login?token=<random token>.

For support or to purchase licenses, connect with us at [email protected] or visit: https://dosyago.com.

Zero Trust Installation Guide

🌟 Video Installation Guide for Pro: https://youtu.be/cGUJCCPDWNE

For detailed information and progress updates, please refer to the official documentation.

Installation

Follow these instructions to install BrowserBoxPro on your system.

Initial Machine Setup

Before installing BrowserBox, ensure that your system meets the following minimum requirements:

VPS with 1 cores, 1 GB RAM, and 25 GB SSD (e.g. Nanode from Linode)
At least 5 Mbps internet connection
A public hostname with a DNS A record pointing to your VPS’s IP address, or localhost certificates installed on your local and remote machine (for example using mkcert).

we assume Debian or Ubuntu in the below but the install process works on CentOS, Fedora, Kali, Ubuntu, RedHat, macOS, Almalinux and Amazon Linux. For supported versions of these operating systems see this table.

First, update your distribution:

apt update && apt -y upgrade

And install a few basic tools:

apt install curl git wget

Now, prepare the machine by following these steps:

Create a new user to operate BrowserBox:
```
adduser pro
```
Disable the password for the newly created user:
```
usermod -L pro
```
Create a new group for sudo privileges:
```
addgroup sudoers
```
Add the following line to the sudoers file to avoid entering a password for sudo operations:
```
%sudoers ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL
```
Use the visudo command to edit the sudoers file.
Grant sudo privileges to the user:
```
usermod -aG sudoers pro
```

Switch to the pro user by executing the following command:

su - pro

Installation Process

Follow these steps to install BrowserBoxPro:

Clone the BrowserBox repository:

git clone https://github.com/BrowserBox/BrowserBox

Navigate to the cloned repository:
```
cd BrowserBox
```
Run the global installation script, replacing <domain_name> with your domain name that points to the machine you’re setting up (if you want to use it without a domain name, just use localhost here for the domain name, but you’ll still need to copy the correct mkcert localsthost certificates to $HOME/sslcerts later). Use your <email> to agree to our terms and the LetsEncrypt terms:
```
./deploy-scripts/global_install.sh <domain_name> <email>
```
Start the main service on port 8080 and generate the login link:
```
setup_bbpro --port 8080
```
Launch BrowserBox:
```
bbpro
```

During the installation process, BrowserBox will automatically install the required dependencies and configure the necessary settings.

Applications in a Zero Trust Framework

BrowserBoxPro isn’t just a tool; it’s a comprehensive solution designed to fit seamlessly into a Zero Trust architecture. Here’s how:

Product Space Applications:

Remote Browser Isolation: Fundamental to Zero Trust, ensuring no direct content interaction with user devices.
Co-Browsing: Collaborate without compromising on security.
VPN Alternatives: A more secure solution than traditional VPNs.
Threat Mitigation: Web & Document Content Sanitization (Content Disarm & Reconstruction - CDR) ensures safe email attachments, web browsing and more!
Secure Web Interaction: A user-friendly UI for secure third-party processes.

Creative Ways that Clients are Using BrowserBox

A user-friendly UI that allows clients to perform 3rd-party processes without leaving your website.
A fully customizable online hosted web browser that provides an alternative to downloadable browsers.
The ability to record web app interactions to document bugs by capturing the event stream and viewport.
A mechanism to create visual “How-To” guides illustrating key user stories.

Internal Tooling Applications:

A tool for human-in-the-loop intervention to resolve stuck browser automation jobs and identify “selector drift” and script-page mismatch issues.
A robust web proxy to seamlessly integrate 3rd-party processes lacking APIs.
An interactive console to inspect, observe, and interact with browser automation tasks.
A browser that can be automated, offering effective evasion of bot detection mechanisms that target pure headless Chrome.
A scriptable console and interactive simulator for automation tasks, creating an intuitive feedback loop.

Tech and Framework Applications:

An open web <WebView> tag.
An <iframe> without cross-origin restrictions.
A ‘head’ for headless browsers.

For a comprehensive list of features and their availability in BrowserBoxPro, refer to the feature table below.

Features of BrowserBox in a Zero Trust Environment

BrowserBox offers an array of advanced features that set it apart from other versions of remote browser isolation. With fully source-available code, non-commercial use for free, frequent updates and cutting-edge technology, BrowserBox provides an enhanced browsing experience with superior rendering, top-tier graphics, and minimal lag. Here are the key features of BrowserBox Pro:

Advanced streaming technology and variable bitrate innovations for smoother browsing experience
Superior rendering and graphics capabilities
Structured, weekly update schedule with quarterly major improvements
Exclusive advanced features not available in other versions
Commercial use availability with Individual server and Self-hosted options
Advanced security mechanisms and privacy safeguards
Customizable browser UI
Docker image compatibility for easy deployment
Cloud and platform independence
Multi-user security features (Pro exclusive)
Auto-scaling and resource control (Pro exclusive)
WebRTC/WebSocket viewport streaming (Pro exclusive)
Fastest-path lag reduction (Pro exclusive)
Built-in multiplayer mode with chat (Pro exclusive)
Puppeteer scripting REPL console (Pro exclusive)
Embeddable inside <iframe> (Pro exclusive)
Kiosk mode (Pro exclusive)
Adobe Flash Player compatibility (Pro exclusive)
User-friendly API (Pro exclusive)
SSH tunneling (Pro exclusive)

These features make BrowserBox the ideal choice for businesses and organizations looking to enhance their cybersecurity, privacy, and browsing capabilities.

For more information about commercial options and licensing, please refer to the relevant sections below.

Licensing for Zero Trust

BrowserBoxPro is licensed separately under the following licenses:

What does this mean for me?

Are you using BrowserBox as it ships?

You may use BrowserBox under the terms of the Polyform Non-Commercial License 1.0

Are you modifying BrowserBox or developing software that uses BrowserBox and willing to license those changes under the Polyform Non-Commercial License 1.0?

You may use BrowserBox under the terms of the Polyform Non-Commercial License 1.0

Are you using BrowserBox, modifying BrowserBox, or developing software that uses BrowserBox in a non-commercial capacity but do not wish to comply with the license terms of the Polyform Non-Commercial License 1.0?

You may have created a portal through spacetime…just kidding, but you’ll need to purchase a commercial license. We offer discounts in this case due to your noncommercial status.

Are you using BrowserBox, modifying BrowserBox, or developing software that uses BrowserBox in a commercial capacity but do not wish to comply with the license terms of the BrowserBox Commercial License?

In order to be compliant, you need to negotiate custom licenses to suit your needs. Reach out to us at [email protected]

Are you using BrowserBox, modifying BrowserBox, or developing software that uses BrowserBox in a commercial capacity but think you may open source it in future?

In order to be compliant, you need to purchase licenses. Reach out to us at [email protected] or purchase via our website

Purchasing a commercial license

Once purchased, you’ll receive a commercial license PDF including your agreement and valid Order receipt and you will be all set to use BrowserBox in your commercial applications. With the purchase of a commercial license:

You may use BrowserBox in as many commercial applications you like.
You may use BrowserBox in your own commercial applications and products. For example: premium VPN services, RBI systems, system integration portals, web automation and scraping products, educational platforms, and other products and apps.
Customers and users of your products do not need to purchase their own license — so long as they are not developing their own commercial products with BrowserBox.

Please note that we cannot transact with sanctioned countries, entities or individuals.

Commercial Licenses are priced per seat. A seat is someone who uses the BrowserBox system, either in an internal application (like secure email attachment viewing), or an external customer-facing application (such as a customer of your remote browser isolation product). Commercial Licenses come in two flavors:

Perpetual License This is a license to use the version of BrowserBox you purchase forever. The version can be updated to the latest via purchase of yearly licenses.
Yearly License This is a license to use the latest version available within the 12-months from your purchase. It can be manually renewed every year, or you can subscribe so it renews automatically.

License Pack Available in multiple sizes, from the small to the truly epic, with commensurately epic discounts at scale. These are purchasable at our main website.

You can purchase either per-named-user or per-concurrent-user. Licenses available on our website are currently for named users. Purchase concurrent user licenses by contacting us at [email protected]

By obtaining a commercial license, you gain the freedom to tailor BrowserBox to your specific requirements and integrate it seamlessly into your workflow. This empowers organizations to leverage the advanced features and capabilities of BrowserBox while maintaining full control over its customization and usage.

Support tiers and customization may be separately negotiated and purchased. To discuss your needs, please reach out to our helpful support team here.

Hardware Appliance (OEM) Licensing

Are you an OEM and want to deploy BBPro on a hardware device that you sell to your customers? Contact us for special access to Appliance License pricing with Volume Discounts. This pricing sheet and terms are tailored to suit OEM’s delivering security products for business and industry. Please note that if you are supplying government or other non-commercial users you cannot “pass through” DOSYAGO’s non-commercial license to your customers without licensing a Commercial license from us.

Sanctions Compliance

Unfotunately if you or your company are an OFAC sanctioned entity or other entity sanctioned by the US Government (e.g. designated on OFAC’s SDN List, BIS’s DPL or Entity List, DDTC’s DPL, or on the FBI’s various lists, among others) we are unable to offer you a license of any form. Please note that in some cases we may conduct necessary checks to ensure sanctions compliance.

Licensing Summary

BrowserBox offers flexible licensing options to cater to different usage scenarios. As previously mentioned, BrowserBox software is available for free for non-commercial use under the PolyForm NonCommercial license. This allows individuals and non-profit organizations to enjoy the benefits of BrowserBox without any licensing fees when using the software without any participation in or anticipation of commercial application. The PolyForm NonCommercial license ensures that the software is used strictly for non-commercial purposes, unless purchasing an exemption for commercial use. Commercial use licenses are available for purchase for 1 or more seats at https://dosyago.com or by contacting [email protected]

Whether it’s for non-commercial or commercial purposes, BrowserBox provides a range of licensing options to accommodate different user needs and ensure a secure and powerful browsing experience.

Pricing

See our website for accurate latest pricing or reach out to us.

Elevate Your Zero Trust Strategy with BrowserBoxPro

In the modern digital landscape, Zero Trust isn’t just a model; it’s a necessity. BrowserBoxPro stands as a testament to this, offering an unparalleled browsing experience while ensuring every interaction is verified, validated, and secure.

Our commitment goes beyond just providing a product. We offer a partnership, ensuring that as the cybersecurity landscape evolves, so do our solutions. With BrowserBoxPro, you’re not just adopting a tool; you’re embracing a future where every interaction is secure.

Join us in navigating the Zero Trust landscape. Secure your commercial license today and fortify your cybersecurity strategy with BrowserBoxPro.

Copyright

For detailed information and progress updates, please refer to: https://github.com/BrowserBox/BrowserBox.

Footnotes

DOSYAGO Terms, Privacy Policy and the BrowserBox License ↩︎
LetsEncrypt is a registered trademark of ISRG and there is no affiliation, or endorsement with BrowserBox or DOSYAGO ↩︎

BrowserBox

BrowserBox

BrowserBox

Install and Run Options

Getting Started Guide

Install and Run Via Docker - Easiest and Fastest, but can be less Reliable ✅

A note on the arguments

Custom Docker Options

Alternate

1-Click Deploy - Deploy BrowserBox to the cloud instantly! ✅ 🎉 🌀

Manual Install - Most Flexible, and Most Reliable ✅

Latest News

v7.1.2 Maintenance Release

Contributing

BrowserBox “Zombie-Lord” Server

BrowserBox “Voodoo” Client

The UI Framework

Vultr Marketplace

One-Click Deploy

New Docker Release v7.1

Secure Document Viewer enabled by default!

Windows Support 😹 🎉

1-Click Deploy!

Deploy to Azure!

Supported Server OS Table

Supported Client Browser Table

🌎 Deploy BrowserBox Easily

One-Click Deploy

Get Started on your nearest AWS Region

🌎 North America

🌍 Europe

🌏 Asia Pacific

🇧🇷 South America

🇨🇦 Canada

🧅 New Feature - Tor Support

🌟 What Else is New in BrowserBox

Table of Contents

🚨 BrowserBox on Tor!

🌍 Enhanced Privacy with Tor Support

⚙️ Using BrowserBox with Tor

⚠️ Important Caveats and Commitment to Security

💬 Your Input is Valuable

🚀 Installable PWAs on Desktop

🔗 Protocol Links Support

🚨 Latest News: BrowserBox Hidden Services!

GitHub Actions Method

DIY Method with torbb

Getting Started with BrowserBox on Tor

BrowserBox - AWS EC2 Installation

Docker Quick Start 💎 Version 6

Special Event! 🤙 Create a private ephemeral Web Proxy hosted on your GitHub Actions minutes by opening an issue on this repo

BrowserBox - General README

BrowserBox Availability

Web application virtualization via Zero Trust Remote Browser Isolation and Secure Document Gateway

Table of Contents

Embracing Zero Trust with BrowserBox

Key Features

Deploying BrowserBoxPro in a Zero Trust Environment with Docker

Zero Trust Installation Guide

Installation

Initial Machine Setup

Installation Process

Applications in a Zero Trust Framework

Product Space Applications:

Creative Ways that Clients are Using BrowserBox

Internal Tooling Applications:

Tech and Framework Applications:

Features of BrowserBox in a Zero Trust Environment

Licensing for Zero Trust

What does this mean for me?

Are you using BrowserBox as it ships?

Are you modifying BrowserBox or developing software that uses BrowserBox and willing to license those changes under the Polyform Non-Commercial License 1.0?

Are you using BrowserBox, modifying BrowserBox, or developing software that uses BrowserBox in a non-commercial capacity but do not wish to comply with the license terms of the Polyform Non-Commercial License 1.0?

Are you using BrowserBox, modifying BrowserBox, or developing software that uses BrowserBox in a commercial capacity but do not wish to comply with the license terms of the BrowserBox Commercial License?

Are you using BrowserBox, modifying BrowserBox, or developing software that uses BrowserBox in a commercial capacity but think you may open source it in future?

Purchasing a commercial license

Hardware Appliance (OEM) Licensing

Sanctions Compliance

Licensing Summary

Pricing

　BrowserBox 　

DIY Method with `torbb`