Running Python code in a sandbox with MicroPython and WASM
Software developer Simon Willison discusses his development of a MicroPython-based WebAssembly sandbox to safely execute untrusted code within Python applications. The project aims to provide a secure plugin architecture that prevents malicious code from accessing sensitive system resources.
Why it matters
This approach addresses a critical security vulnerability in plugin-based software architectures, enabling safer extensibility for data-driven applications.
I’ve been experimenting with different approaches to running code in a sandbox for several years now, but my latest attempt feels like it might finally have all of the characteristics I’ve been looking for. I’ve released it as an alpha package called micropython-wasm , and I’m using it for a code execution sandbox plugin for Datasette Agent called datasette-agent-micropython .
Technical report focused on software architecture and security implementation.
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