Sophos

Sophos is a cybersecurity company specializing in network security and unified threat management through its detection and response, firewall, cloud, and managed service solutions.

With more than35 years of experience securing endpoints for businesses, the company evolved with advancing technology and threats to develop its comprehensive data security platform. Today, the British vendor boasts more than 500,000 organization clients in more than 150 countries with a suite of industry-recognized tools.

Sophos Products and Solutions

Sophos offers protection for home offices; however, this article focuses on its core business solutions, including a range of products for the modern hybrid infrastructure for small businesses to enterprise companies. All available on the Sophos Central Management Console, the vendor splits its offerings into five solution areas: endpoints, network, operations, email, and cloud. The vendor’s most popular solutions are:

Intercept X Endpoint

Consistently rated one of the top endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions by Gartner and Forrester, Intercept X comes with extended detection and response (XDR), anti-ransomware, AI, threat hunting, synchronized security, and more capabilities.

XGS Firewall Series

The XGS Firewall Series offers next-generation firewall (NGFW) features that provide visibility and protection across an increasingly complex IT infrastructure. Available as an on-premises appliance, or as a cloud, virtual, or software system, Sophos Firewalls meet the latest threats with a scalable gateway architecture.

Managed Threat Response

For organizations looking to outsource endpoint security, the Managed Threat Response (MTR) solution offers managed detection and response (MDR), 24/7 threat hunting, access to cybersecurity experts, and actionable remediation. MTR comes with the most telemetry and high-fidelity detection.

Also read: Top Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) Vendors for 2021 | eSecurityPlanet

Sophos Competitors

• Barracuda Networks
• Cisco
• Check Point
• Fortinet
• Juniper Networks
• Kaspersky
• McAfee
• Microsoft
• Palo Alto Networks
• WatchGuard

Read more: Best Unified Threat Management Software 2021 | Enterprise Networking Planet

Comprehensive Network Security 

As antivirus solutions evolved into endpoint security, the British company has risen above other endpoint protection vendors with its suite of end-to-end security tools. Administrators can implement and control policies for servers, public cloud segments, email, web application firewalls, mobile and wireless devices, and encryption tools through the central management console.

Sophos’ network solutions come with AI-powered analytics for blocking exploits, advanced detection, and automated incident response to meet today’s sophisticated threats. With cross-product investigations and telemetry, administrators get the needed visibility to optimize system controls.

Also read: Why Sophos is a Top Cybersecurity Company for 2021 | eSecurityPlanet

Accessing Cybersecurity Expertise

Evidence of Sophos’ cybersecurity expertise includes its top-ranked MDR solution, cognitive computing features, and threat intelligence offered by a global network of research centers, SophosLabs.

SophosLabs actively releases its findings to the public in addition to serving clients with real-time insights about malware, potentially unwanted applications (PUAs), suspicious behavior, and controlled applications and devices.

Read more: Why Sophos makes Channel Insider’s Best Managed Detection and Response (MDR) Services for 2021.

Learn more about SophosLabs with coverage about its research:

• Kaseya attack shows a perfect delivery method for ransomware | TechRepublic
• LockFile Ransomware Uses Unique Methods to Avoid Detection | eSecurityPlanet
• Cybercriminals using Google as the latest trick for malware attacks | TechRepublic
• Ransomware Groups are Targeting VMs | eSecurityPlanet
• How ghost accounts leave your organizations vulnerable to ransomware | TechRepublic

Recognition and Reviews

Sophos has grown into a top cybersecurity company with several products and services garnering industry attention. This section looks at how the vendor fares in the Gartner Magic Quadrant, Forrester Wave, and Gartner Peer Insights.

Gartner Magic Quadrant and Peer Insights

• Endpoint Protection Platforms: Leader – 2018, 2019, 2021
• Network Firewalls: Niche Player – 2018; Visionary – 2019, 2020
• Unified Threat Management: Leader – 2017, 2018

On Gartner Peer Insights, the cybersecurity vendor has almost 2,000 reviews across several product solutions. The company’s most reviewed solutions and scores include:

Also read: Best Enterprise Mobility Management Solutions & Software 2021 | IT Business Edge

The Forrester Wave

• Enterprise Security SaaS: Contender – 2021
• Endpoint Security Suites: Leader – 2018, 2019
• Unified Endpoint Management: Strong Performer – 2018, 2019
• Enterprise Mobility Management: Contender – 2017

Sophos: Company Background

Sophos kicked off in 1985 as an early provider of antivirus and encryption software by two PhDs from the University of Oxford. Serving the United Kingdom through the 1990s with consistent growth, the cybersecurity vendor gained a global footprint by the end of the next decade. Today, the company has over 3,000 employees and almost 30 offices across two dozen countries.

Growth and Acquisitions

Thirty years after its inception in 1985, Sophos went public, taking the ticker SOPH on the London Stock Exchange. In March 2020, private equity firm Thoma Bravo acquired the firm at an enterprise valuation of $3.9 billion.

Since its founding, the cybersecurity vendor has made 16 acquisitions, including anti-spam software developer ActiveState in 2003, UTM provider Astaro in 2011, and DevSecOps automation platform Refactr in 2021.

Learn more about Sophos’ endpoint protection software with TechnologyAdvice’s review:

Recent Coverage

• Top Endpoint Detection & Response for 2021 | IT Business Edge
• Top XDR Security Solutions for 2021 | eSecurityPlanet
• Latest MITRE EDR Evaluations Contain Some Surprises | eSecurityPlanet
• Firewall as a Service (FWaaS): The Future of Network Firewalls? | eSecurityPlanet
• Best User & Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) Tools of 2021 | eSecurityPlanet
• 19 Best Encryption Software & Tools of 2021 | eSecurityPlanet
• The Story of Sophos | Co-Founder, Dr. Jan Jruska | 2009 | Oxford Internet Institute

Sam Ingalls

Sam Ingalls is an award-winning writer and researcher covering enterprise technology, cybersecurity, data centers, and IT trends, for eSecurity Planet, TechRepublic, ServerWatch, Webopedia, and Channel Insider.