There is a whole world of lurking dangers online, even for Mac users. Threats like viruses, adware, malware, and ransomware don’t just affect other operating systems – macOS is more exposed to these threats than many realize. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to protect yourself, and one such solution is Sophos Home. Based in the UK, Sophos has a long history in the internet security industry, having built a name for itself with its antivirus and encryption products since 1985. With its real-time antivirus protection, Sophos Home automatically scans files each time they’re accessed so that you’re always protected. Additionally, the software is family-friendly, allowing you to keep up to ten devices safe. The best part is that you can manage all of these devices remotely through the browser dashboard. There’s a free version of Sophos Home available, and it’s also possible to test the software’s paid features by taking advantage of the 30-day free trial.
| Antivirus | |
|---|---|
| Antimalware | |
| Antispyware | |
| Antiransomware |
Sophos Home offers a well-rounded Mac security system that goes beyond your typical antivirus. In addition to protecting your computer from traditional threats, the software also safeguards it from ransomware, unsafe websites, and potentially unwanted applications (PUAs). After you download, install, and enable the necessary permissions, Sophos Home will sit nicely in your taskbar. However, this is only for scanning your computer – everything else is done through the online dashboard.
The intuitive dashboard has the advantage of being able to remotely manage all computers covered by Sophos Home. This allows you to, for example, schedule scans to be performed on multiple computers or even set up a scan from your office to be completed by the time you get home. Adding a new device is a nice feature and is done by simply sending a link to the relevant person or computer. After Sophos Home is installed, they’ll pop up on your dashboard, allowing you to manage their security settings immediately.
| Comprehensive scans | |
|---|---|
| Deep scans | |
| Selective scans | |
| Custom scans |
Sophos Home comes with real-time antivirus protection, so any threats to your system are blocked immediately, and the software automatically scans files whenever they’re accessed. This may lead to system slowdowns in older models, but the feature can be turned off – at your own risk. Alternatively, right-clicking any files, folders, or drives in the finder allows you to run an individual scan. Any malware detected by Sophos is immediately deleted by default, but you can set up the antivirus to first quarantine the infected files via the dashboard. The Sophos website also has a section for users to submit any potential threats to be examined. We tried out Sophos’ antivirus capabilities by using EICAR’s malware test files. When downloaded from the Secure Socket Layer (SSL)-enabled protocol, it took Sophos a few minutes to detect them, but it did flag every threat.
Sophos Home also comes with great ransomware protection. Sophos immediately saves a backup to prevent you from losing your data whenever one of your files becomes encrypted. If more files are subsequently encrypted, then it’s highly likely that you’re the victim of an attack, and Sophos will block the suspected ransomware and restore your files with these backups.
Sophos Home comes with a parental control tool in the form of a web filter that blocks various website categories selected by you. The filtering works well, and it gives you the option of adding exceptions but frustratingly doesn’t allow you to add websites manually to be blocked. Sophos Home also offers malicious traffic detection, which detects when a program is connected to an untrustworthy remote server.
| Web monitoring | |
|---|---|
| Antispam | |
| Wi-Fi inspection | |
| Firewall |
As well as the web filter function, Sophos Home comes with added privacy protection in the form of webcam and microphone protection. This means that whenever an app (or something more malicious) attempts to use your webcam or microphone, you’ll be alerted and can either block or allow it. There are also functions that Windows users get to enjoy that aren’t currently available with the Mac version, such as AI threat detection.
Sophos Home is only available as a paid software. Still, the software is one of the most reasonably priced options on the market. Prices start at $35 per year with a 3-year plan, but you can also get yearly and two-year billing cycles. Of course, these are a bit more expensive – the three-year subscription decreases your annual payments by 22%. Keep in mind that all plans cover ten devices – protecting you for as little as $3.50 per computer per year.
| Visa | |
| Mastercard | |
| American Express | |
| Discover |
| 24/7 | |
| Live chat | |
| Phone |
Sophos offers several customer support options for its users. Although the company doesn’t provide 24/7 client service, users can raise support tickets via email or contact customer support through live chat. While the company’s Facebook page is only used to share the latest news in cybersecurity, the company has a dedicated Twitter page to respond to your questions. The Sophos Home website hosts an extensive FAQ section, as well as some well-written guides. If you can’t find what you want there, there’s also an active forum to get help from the Sophos community.
With solid protection and the ability to manage all devices remotely, Sophos Home is a recommended choice for families who want to keep their entire household safe from threats. The software protects up to ten devices, making their management extremely simple. However, overall, the package seems to lack those added features you find in some rival suites, such as a built-in VPN or Wi-Fi protection. On the bright side, Sophos Home is available for an incredibly reasonable price. So, if you want to keep yourself protected at a low cost, Sophos Home is well worth your money. Of course, don’t forget to take the software for a spin first by taking advantage of the 30-day free trial.
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