Is Sophos good?

Yes, it is. Sophos anti-virus software detects and cleans up Trojans, worms and spyware.The software offers endpoint protection and a host of security protection features against malware attacks. The software is free but they do have a paid version called Sophos home edition that is also available in cloud.

If you need to protect your family and friends computers and devices from malware attacks then the Sophos home edition offers good value for money.

When it comes to installation of Sophos home you install a small local agent on each PC you want to protect but the controls are handled from an online console. This comes in handy for managing multiple PCs as all your friends need from you is to install the software then you are left to handle the settings remotely. The Sophos home is limited to three installations per subscription but you can work your way around this by applying via a separate email address. If you want more subscriptions you can try out the Sophos Home premium; this allows up to 10 installations.

Features that make Sophos an ideal anti-virus software

Configurations through cloud

Configurations are allowed but they are for websites and filetypes, nothing more. This may appear a bit oversimplified for IT gurus gearing up for more advanced features, but you can access more configurations settings by going to the cloud admin panel.

Here you can leverage on the real-time protection to check some behavioral-based analytics for zero day detection. The malicious traffic detection while try to identify and block any programs that try to launch onto malicious servers.

The anti-virus also allows to configure the master boot record (MBR) protection. This simply prevents any malware that come into the system from interfering with it. You also get protection against malware remotely. Most of the protection being offered here is of the enterprise level. However, it did fail to detect some viruses like the industry standard EICAR file. If you are to load the virus to your machine then run the anti-virus it somehow misses it.

Website filtering

The Sophos comes with a basic web filtering function that allows you to surf the web securely. The anti-virus will detect and block a certain category of websites. You can also use the whitelist to add your own category of burned sites. The parental control feature allows you to lets users block and give access to certain groups of persons like children and teens. This allows you to monitor their access to harmful sites like pornographic ones.

If you are logging into an online banking website you have access to the a safe browsing environment courtesy of the safe online banking menu. It also features keylogger protection. A webcam notification feature gives you alerts the moment a program makes attempts to access your webcam. You can check any threats that the anti-virus has contained through the alerts log.

How Sophos performs in malware protection

Anti-virus	Score	Effectiveness in blocking malicious URL	Ranking
Norton 360 Deluxe	9.5	97%	4
Kaspersky Internet security	9.3	81%	7
Avira Internet security	8.8	81%	7
G Data Internet security	9.8	99%	2
Sophos Home edition	9.8	100%	1
Microsoft Windows defender	9.8	97%	4
F-Secure Internet security	9.0	99%	2
Avast Internet security	9.5	90%	6

How to set up Sophos on multiple devices

You administer everything centrally including adding/removing devices. This is done through a simple click of a button. When it comes to the actual implementation of the software, everything was simple and straightforward. It actually takes you less than five minutes to do and complete the download setup. This is through the Sophos Home premium edition that is also available in cloud. The setup is simple as you only need to maneuver through four page buttons. Configuration settings are also straightforward and easy to understand. This simply means you do not need to be an IT guru to do the configuration yourself.

Sophos customer support

Should you encounter any challenges there is a support button that offers you many baseline content on some common troubleshooting issues. Once you click the submit a request button from the dashboard you will be directed to Sophos ticketing system. Here you can state your problem and even attach screenshots and logs. The support team is responsive. You also get a separate live chat functionality that at times does not work for some landing pages.

How much does the software cost?

Lastly, it is about the pricing. If you want the Sophos Home premium edition then be ready to part with an yearly subscription fee. This is however, a bargain as you will be protecting multiple devices. There is a lot of differences between the free edition and the premium version as in the later your get real time zero day protection, advanced ransomware protection, privacy protection and improved customer support. However, the Home edition allows you to protect 10 devices. This makes it a handy tool for all your family protection. The Sophos Home Free is basically the free version, then the Sophos Home Premium PC and Mac is the paid version that goes for $50.

The product has received certification on its effectiveness through the SE Labs. The reports are based on a number of testing on various anti-virus software in the market, where the software is hit by a round of real malware threat and then it is observed to see its effectiveness. The products are certified on five levels – AAA, AA, A, B, and C. Sophos key competitor the Kaspersky security cloud free scored the highest grade at AAA while Sophos also got the AAA certification but dropped to AA in the next round.

Conclusion

Sophos is a great addition for those who want to protect their family and friends devices and PCs from malware. The software scores big for its ease of use and its minimalistic displays with very few buttons. The free version is great however, if you want to ensure protection for up to 10 devices then go for the Sophos Home premium version.

FAQ

How easy is it to use Sophos Home Premium cloud?

The anti-virus is very easy to use because you have very few buttons. Just click clean my computer and it will do the rest

How many devices can I protect with the Sophos Home premium edition?

You can protect up to 10 devices