# microsoft/litebox

A security-focused library OS supporting kernel- and user-mode execution

Repository: https://github.com/microsoft/litebox
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/litebox
Language: Rust
License: MIT
License Family: permissive
Last push: 2026-08-26T21:44:36+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 66/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 35, longevity 45
- inputs: {"age_days": 631, "days_push": 7, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 2684, forks 138 (observed 2026-08-28T04:07:10.166263+00:00)

## What it is
LiteBox is a security-focused library OS written in Rust that drastically reduces the interface exposed to the host, minimizing attack surface. It supports both kernel- and user-mode execution and provides a nix/rustix-inspired interface that can be paired with various platform backends.

## Use cases
- sandbox untrusted Linux applications on Linux
- run unmodified Linux programs on Windows
- run programs inside SEV-SNP confidential VMs
- execute OP-TEE trusted applications on Linux
- build isolated execution environments with a minimal host interface

## When to choose
- you need to sandbox Linux binaries with a minimal attack surface
- you want a Rust-based library OS that works in both kernel and user mode
- you target confidential computing platforms like SEV-SNP or OP-TEE
- you need a Linux syscall compatibility layer on non-Linux hosts

## When to avoid
- you need a fully stable, production-hardened OS with long-term API guarantees
- you need a general-purpose OS with broad device and filesystem support
- you are not comfortable adapting to frequent API changes during active development

## Facets
- artifact type: library
- maturity: experimental
- function: security
- domain: security, operating-systems, developer-tools
- platform: windows, cross-platform, rust
- tags: library-os, sandboxing, kernel-mode, user-mode, confidential-computing, tee, linux-compatibility, attack-surface-reduction, operating-system, virtualization, isolation, linux

## Member repositories
- microsoft/litebox (main) score 66

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:10.166263+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T02:17:51.504561+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/microsoft/litebox (fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:10.166263+00:00, sha 05b0fefba4c1)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.