Cyber-sec specialist Sophos today announced updated versions of key products from its endpoint protection portfolio in pursuit of what the company called “next-generation end-user 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,” Sophos said in a statement.
As part of its next-gen shift, Sophos has released Malicious Traffic Detection, which is designed to intercept communications between a malware-compromised device and an attacker’s command-and-control servers. Building on technology from a Sophos-designed firewall product, Malicious Traffic Detection uses data from the detected comms activity to track down malware and stop it from running.
Sophos is also launching an updated endpoint agent that draws upon Sophos System Protector. The utility collects and examines data gathered by Malicious Traffic Detection and other components, such as Host Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) runtime protection. Sophos System Protector is designed to correlate the information to identify threats that cannot be 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,” Sophos argued.
For data encryption Sophos has launched SafeGuard Encryption 7 and Sophos Mobile Encryption 3, designed to allow businesses to securely create, access and edit encrypted data from devices.
SafeGuard Encryption 7 provides protection for cloud or network data across multiple devices, such as laptops or smartphones.
“Safeguard Encryption is built to match an organisation’s workflow and processes without slowing down productivity,” Sophos explained. “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 integrates with Sophos Mobile Encryption 3, allowing users to create and edit encrypted documents from mobile devices and manage multiple keys directly from the mobile app.
“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.”
