Sophos announces the future of comprehensive, simple-to-manage enduser protection

Whereas desktop antivirus may have once been sufficient endpoint protection, today’s cyber threat landscape requires a more comprehensive approach to create a secure computing environment. In addition, users now access, store and transmit business information using a vast array of mobile devices. The Sophos approach is to deliver complete and real-time protection wherever the user is, making it easier for businesses to enforce security policies across all devices and platforms.

“The market is demanding more from security companies,” said Charles Kolodgy, IDC Research Vice President, Security Products. “They want complete security that they can easily adopt into their organization’s workflow. Sophos took a big step in the right direction today with their announcement of next-generation products.”

Advanced Endpoint Protection
New to Sophos’ endpoint protection product line is Malicious Traffic Detection which detects communications between a compromised endpoint and an attacker’s servers. Building on technology available in Sophos’ next-generation firewall, the endpoint-based Malicious Traffic Detection will automatically identify offending software and stop it from running to prevent potential damage or data loss.

Sophos is also launching an updated endpoint agent architecture powered by the new Sophos System Protector. This service acts like a “brain,” collecting and analyzing information gathered by Malicious Traffic Detection and other components, such as HIPS runtime protection. With a comprehensive view of activity across components, the Sophos System Protector is able to correlate information and link it together to identify threats that are not flagged by any single component of the system. Businesses enjoy improved protection from increasingly common advanced threats, as well as a reduction in productivity loss due to false positives and alerts that have to be manually investigated.

Protecting data wherever it goes via data encryption
Also part of the Next-Generation Enduser Protection vision, Sophos released SafeGuard Encryption 7 and Sophos Mobile Encryption 3, advancing the ability for businesses to securely create, access and edit encrypted data from any device.

SafeGuard Encryption 7 provides data protection across multiple platforms and devices, whether the data resides on a laptop or a mobile device, or is shared via the cloud or network. Safeguard Encryption is built to match an organization’s workflow and processes without slowing down productivity. Coupled with improved management of Microsoft’s BitLocker and Apple’s FileVault encryption services, SafeGuard provides an unmatched level of performance, compatibility and protection.

SafeGuard Encryption also integrates with Sophos Mobile Encryption 3, which makes it possible for users to create and edit encrypted documents from their mobile devices and to manage multiple keys directly from the mobile app. Employees can now more easily collaborate and share files securely to maintain a high level of productivity from any location.

“Security needs are evolving as quickly as today’s businesses, and Sophos is committed to taking user protection to the next level,” said Dan Schiappa, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Sophos Enduser Security Group. “That’s why we keep innovating and building on our existing, proven technology to provide even better security that is simple to manage.”

“Sophos gives us the peace of mind that our network and end users are protected from malware – and our team is able to work as efficiently and effectively as possible,” said Robert Talley, IT Director, Lassen County Office of Education. “We are definitely excited about the direction that Sophos is moving.”

“Security is increasingly integral to SMB thinking about technology deployment – an enabler to be optimized, not a cost to be minimized,” reports Raymond Boggs, VP SMB Research of IDC. “SMB IT departments are under constant pressure to keep up with the ever-changing demands of their workforce. They need complete protection that is easily manageable and scalable. It can’t impact productivity.”

“Security is always a major concern for our customers, and in the past we’ve had to sell multiple point products from multiple vendors to meet all their needs,” said Lou Giovanetti, President of CPU Sales and Services, Inc. “But with Sophos we can provide them with everything they require from a single vendor. This has simplified our business and helped us strengthen customer relationships.”