Sophos Antivirus Review (2022): Will It Stop Advanced Threats?

Sophos, a well-known cybersecurity company, offers security software to businesses. It also offers antivirus software that is “business-grade” for home users.

I wanted to see if Sophos Home premium is really as good and if it could stop all advanced malware.

I was extremely impressed by Sophos’s scanning capabilities. It blocked and removed almost every malware sample that I downloaded, including ransomware, rootkits, spyware, and viruses.

I also tested Sophos’s other features, including:

• Web protection.
• Parental control.
• Remote device management.

One of the best things about Sophos was its remote management. You can manage up to 10 devices. This is great if you want to easily change security settings, run malware scanners, or manage parental control settings across multiple devices.

However I dislike that users need Sophos’s online portal to access all features and modify the settings. Sophos offers a minimalistic desktop app but it is limited to basic functions like scanning your computer and accessing its online dashboard. Norton’s desktop client is more feature-rich, and much more practical.

Also, I think Sophos should include additional features that most of the 2022’s best anti-viruses have like device optimization or a VPN.

Sophos, a simple antivirus, is a good choice for those looking for reliable protection against known and emerging threats to the internet.

Sophos Full Review

Sophos Home Premium is a simple and effective antivirus that protects up to 10 devices. However, Sophos is a good option for those who are more tech-savvy thanks to its advanced settings and remote management.

Sophos does offer a desktop application, but most of the features and settings can be accessed online through a web browser. The desktop app serves as a shortcut panel, directing you to specific features within Sophos’s online dashboard. Both the online dashboard and desktop app are easy to use for beginners.

Sophos Security Features

Sophos Premium includes all the essential antivirus security features including:

• Protection against ransomware and malware
• Protection based on artificial intelligence.
• Protect your webcam.
• Protection of the web
• Filtering of parental web.

These features are intuitive and all of them have easy on/off buttons. Remote management is also available from Sophos. This allows you to remotely control settings, scans, and parental controls on multiple devices.

I was disappointed that the Mac version Sophos Home Premium does not include many of the same features as the PC version, such as advanced web protection. One of our top-rated antiviruses for Mac users is better if you have a Mac. However, Sophos’ Mac version still provides real-time antivirus protection and basic web filtering. Remote device management is also available.

The Home Premium package does not include extra features such as a VPN or secure cloud storage. Norton 360 and other top competitors offer all of these features.

Sophos antivirus is an affordable, reliable, and effective anti-malware program. It covers up to 10 devices.

Malware Scanner

Sophos’s antivirus scanner is extremely easy to use. Access it via the online dashboard or desktop app. You can also schedule a scan for a specific day and time that suits you best.

Sophos claims that their malware scanner detects a wide variety of malware and cyber threats. So, I spent a lot testing it to make sure.

I had hundreds of malware files on my computer, including ransomware viruses, trojans and spyware. Some of these were more well-known, older viruses. Other malware samples were brand new.

Sophos’s entire system scan impressed me. Sophos was able to detect 97% of downloaded malware samples. It even detected the “zero-day threat”!

Sophos’s initial malware scan detection percentage is not up to the standards of Norton and Bitdefender. However, Sophos is able to detect malware very effectively.

After Sophos had finished its initial scan I loaded the malware samples from my computer and launched each one one at a moment. This was to verify the program’s real time anti-malware engine that uses artificial intelligence (AI).

Sophos immediately recognized and blocked each of the malware programs I tried to launch. Even advanced ransomware programs are difficult to stop.

Sophos’s ability to detect and scan malware was impressive. Unfortunately, the malware scanner doesn’t have certain functionality that other antiviruses do. Sophos is not able to perform a custom or quick scan like McAfee, Avira, and others. However, Sophos has protection against malicious USB device and allows you to skip or scan certain files, folders, and drives.

Sophos Home premium has an outstanding malware scanner. It found almost all of the malware samples I uploaded. This includes advanced ransomware, trojans and viruses. Sophos’s live-time protection detected 100% of the malware samples, blocking all new threats that other competitors have difficulty detecting.

Remote Management

Remote management by Sophos allows you control your program’s security features from one or more devices, all via your PC or Mac using the Sophos website dashboard.

Remote management is simple to use. To test it out, I clicked on Dashboard tab in the desktop app. This brought me to the Sophos web dashboard. I was able, via the dashboard, to click on the Add new devicebutton. This allows me to add up ten different Macs or PCs for remote management.

To add a remote device, I had the Sophos install URL copied. I then emailed it to those who asked me to manage their device. To enable them to install it on their own computers, I sent the URL first to my co-workers.

After they installed Sophos on their computers, I was able view their devices through the Sophos online dashboard. There, I was able control various functions and make changes to settings. I was able to run complete system malware scans against my co-workers’ computers.

Overall, I love Sophos Home Premium remote monitoring. It is a great tool for both novice and experienced users. It’s also very easy to use. Even Avira, one of the top antiviruses, doesn’t offer this feature.

Web Protection

Sophos’s Web Protection claims to protect your computer against malicious websites. They include fake phishing sites disguised as legitimate websites that steal personal information such as bank account details and social media logins.

I tried several of the dangerous URLs from PhishTank’s malicious URL database website to see if Sophos’s Web Protection was effective. I was thrilled to see that Sophos blocked 100 percent of these URLs – both malware and phishing websites.

I used the protection tab to whitelist blocked sites. Next, I entered the domain name in the website exceptions tab. Although this is straightforward, it can get tedious if you want to whitelist multiple sites.

However, I didn’t encounter any false positives during my testing, so I don’t see why most people would whitelist popular sites.

I think it’s fantastic that Sophos has a setting which ensures safe online banking. This feature basically stops hackers spying on and stealing your online banking details. I think the download reputation setting is very useful. It gives you a reputation score based on feedback from other users.

The best thing about Sophos’s Web Protection is the fact that you don’t need to install an additional browser extension. Many antiviruses like Norton require that you install a browser security extension in order to protect your online privacy. It’s not a major issue, but it is convenient to have quick access to all of the antivirus features via one dashboard. It is great that Sophos Home Premium users can set up and install it once and do not need to add additional security features.

Parental Controls/Content Filtering

Sophos Home Premium has a basic parental content filtering program. This feature can be used to block sites that fall under the General Interest category, Social Networking & Computing and Adult & Unappropriate categories. This feature can also be used to unblock sites within the General Interest, Social Networking & Computing and Adult & Inappropriate categories.

After I set up my parental controls on my computer I attempted to visit various sites that were blocked by Google Chrome. I received a desktop warning and a web browser message stating that the website had been blocked by Sophos Home premium.

I was disappointed to not be able to blacklist sites or block social media sites. However, the WebsiteExceptions field allows users to whitelist specific sites that have been blocked.

Sophos’s content filter is only compatible with the most widely used web browsers: Chrome, Firefox Firefox Edge, Internet Explorer Safari, Opera, Edge, Internet Explorer, Internet Explorer, Safari and Safari. I was able see all blocked sites when I tested parental controls using Vivaldi.

Sophos’s parental controls have very limited functionality. You cannot block specific websites or whitelist sites from those blocked categories. You can’t track location or use restrictions, which are features that are standard in the top antivirus brands such as McAfee and Norton.

• Email support.
• Live chat assistance.
• Knowledgebase.

I used Sophos knowledge base to find out more about the features and get answers about a few questions I had regarding the setup process. It was amazing how thorough and detailed the Sophos Knowledge Base is, especially when it comes to getting started with the program.

Sophos has a live chat available from 8am to 8:30pm Eastern Standard Time. The chat took only two minutes for me to connect with a customer care representative. I spoke with a very friendly person, who was knowledgeable and gave me quick answers to my questions.

Sophos has responsive email support. My question was about scanning individual files. Within six hours of me sending the question, I received a return email. The response was informative and polite. It also provided details about how to scan files.

Sophos’s customer services department is great. In general, the customer service agent was very friendly and helpful during my live chat. I also received an informative and friendly response within one business day when I sent an inquiry via email. The knowledge base also provides information and quick answers for general questions about the software.

However, Sophos should offer phone support as well as live chat support. McAfee, a leading competitor, offers better support.

Is Sophos a Secure and Reliable Antivirus in 2022?

Sophos is a very basic antivirus. It has high detection rates for malware, an intuitive dashboard, as well as remote management.

Sophos can be very simple to use. But, you cannot access the online dashboard to access all its features. Although there is a desktop app available, it’s not very useful. It can only open the online dashboard and start a scan.

Sophos’s Malware scanner was impressive. It found 97% of the malware I tested, didn’t slow my computer down during full system scans and took up less space on my CPU than many top-end competitors.

Sophos provides all the essential antivirus features including ransomware prevention and advanced web security. But there are also some extras like remote management, webcam defense, basic parental controls, and protection against ransomware.

Although I love the remote management features, I think they are not great. Sophos does not have the same extras as McAfee or Norton. These include system cleanup tools, performance optimization and VPN.

The Sophos Home Premium Antivirus Package is a simple antivirus with near-perfect detection rates. It is one the most affordable options available at D1,026,000/year. It is also extremely easy to use with a 30-day free trial.

Does Sophos Home Premium offer effective malware protection?

Sophos’s antimalware engine detected 97% malware samples I downloaded before installing the program. Sophos’s real time protection blocked 100% of all the samples. This makes it one of my most reliable anti-malware engines.

Sophos’ web protection includes banking protection and antiphishing protection. Sophos blocked all the malicious sites that I tried opening during my tests. The banking protection also ensured my financial data remained safe.

Is Sophos Antivirus Free?

Sophos is not offering a free plan. However you can test it for free for 30 day and return your money within 30 days.

There are many better options than the free ones that provide basic protection. But it’s better to spend a few dollars on premium antivirus protection, if possible. Sophos Home Premium offers a reasonable choice and is very affordable, compared with its competitors.

Is Sophos Home Premium good for Macs?

Sophos Home Premiumsoftware is an excellent choice for Mac users. These tools enhance upon the Mac OS’s built-in security features.

Sophos Home Premier detected most macOS-related malware samples and stopped them from loading. I also liked Sophos’s antiransomware feature, CryptoGuard. It detects and blocks any encryption behavior on Macs and PCs.

There are many better options, including my #1 Mac antivirus Intego. Sophos Premium is still a good option for Mac users who need a reliable, basic antivirus.

Will Sophos Home Premium slow down my computer?

Sophos didn’t slow down my computer at all during testing. It only used 15% to 20% of my CPU during a complete system malware scan and almost nothing when the real-time Anti-Malware Engine was active.

These results were great and superior to most top competitors. McAfee used 50% of my CPU when running a scan. That is quite a lot for an average PC.

Source : safetydetectives
Editor by : BEST Antivirus KBS Team

Sophos Antivirus

Name: Sophos Antivirus Review and Prices

Description: Sophos sells Sophos' single antivirus software package, Sophos Premium. It is available in three-year and two-year subscriptions. Home Premium for a one year plan is $44.99, and $59.99 each subsequent year. A two-year plan costs $74.99 and $99.99 for each of the subsequent two-year periods. A three year plan costs $104.99 in the first three years, $139.99 every three years thereafter. Sophos provides a credit-free 30-day trial with all of its protections.

Offer price: $44.99 to $139.99

Currency: USD

Operating System: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS

Application Category: Sophos - Brand Review

Author: Best Antivirus

[ More ]

• Security
  (4)
• Features
  (3.5)
• Ease of use
  (4)
• Customer Support
  (4)
• Pricing
  (3.5)

Overall

3.8

Summary

Sophos’ Home Premium antivirus program is good and performed well in our rating. Sophos Home Premium contains many of the protection tools incorporated in Sophos Central, an enterprise-level, cloud based cybersecurity platform. It addresses a variety hacking threats including ransomware, malware, and attempts to phish. Sophos Premium can’t remove a malicious program file. It will inform you where it is located and allow you to manually remove it. To find out more methods to get rid of the file, visit our knowledge base article.

Pros

• Single, low-cost paid version covers 10 devices
• Runs on both Windows and macOS PCs, with Android, iOS, and Chrome OS support pending

Cons

• No virtual private network (VPN) included or sold separately
• Relatively few features
• No identity theft monitoring

• Sophos for Windows
• Sophos for macOS
• Sophos for Android
• Sophos for iOS