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1. Sophos Free Antivirus For Mac
2. Sophos Anti Virus Review
3. Sophos Home For Mac
4. Sophos Antivirus For Mac Review 2017
5. Sophos Antivirus For Mac Reviews
6. Sophos Free Antivirus Review
7. Sophos Home For Mac Reviews

Since the beginning of the year 2019, manufacturers of antiviruses and antimalware started releasing the latest versions of their programs… each one proclaiming to be the best.

How I Evaluate Antivirus Programs – What I Look For

I have a certain set of rules that I follow when evaluating these programs. I format my computer's hard disk drive, install the operating system, include a database of hundreds of viruses and malware, and then install the antivirus I want to test to check its capability.

Speed

I also check for the speed at which the program performs its task and whether it eats too much into the system resources or not.

Ability to Block Malicious Websites

I visit sites infamous for the malware they inject into the visitor's computer through their browser and check to see if the software prevents the browser from opening such sites.

Ease of Use

The ease of use is another factor I keep in mind… I prefer the program to be user-friendly.

Cloud Server Scanning

Most such security programs, nowadays, offer cloud functions… meaning that files I try to download are first scanned on the cloud server of the program, and allowed to download to my computer only if they are safe.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

As more and more security software, nowadays, offer “artificial intelligence”, I shall check for that aspect too.

If I Have to Choose Between Two Antivirus Programs that Have More or Less Equal Functions

In case both security programs offer the same type of protection, I tend to check their pricing and give higher points to the one that costs less. In this review, I shall compare Sophos and McAfee to check which one of them offers the best security.

The Comparison Between Sophos and McAfee

Both of these programs have been available for many years and have earned a reputation for themselves in the computing fraternity, both for home and business users.

Sophos

Artificial Intelligence Module

The first thing that caught my eye on visiting the website of Sophos was its new artificial intelligence module, which, according to the vendor, would be able to block advanced viruses, zero-day exploits, malware, and the deadly ransomware.

Sophos Free Trial

Sophos offers a free trial of their program, which you can access after filling up their online form with your name, email, and password.

Sophos Pricing

Their home page also has an attractive offer which allows you to get a 50% discount on the second year if you apply for a two year subscription. As far as pricing and ease of use are concerned, Sophos stands ahead of its competitor. A single year and a two-year license cost $60 and $90 respectively.

Quick Scan

Downloading and installing the program was fast. A single click of the mouse button allows the user to scan their entire computer.

Sophos Machine Learning

While undertaking this Sophos vs McAfee 2019 review, I found that the former boasts of artificial intelligence. This means that the program employs a predictive and deep learning algorithm to check files for suspicious bits of code and blocks them. This includes the latest zero-day malware.

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For your information, leading businesses, as well as banks, depend on Sophos for this exclusive aspect.

As is common with all security programs, you should not expect too much from the free version that only offers:
• Web protection
• Real-time antivirus
• Remote management
• Parental web filtering, and
• Can be installed on up to three devices

Sophos Free vs Paid

Sophos scores over its rival, once again, as its free version also includes a 30 days trial of its premium counterpart, which has all the modules in the free version plus:
• Malware Remover
• Ransomware security
• Artificial intelligence
• Privacy protection
• Banking protection
• Advanced web security
• Identity protection
• Premium support, and
• Can be installed on up to 10 devices

I strongly recommend readers to go for the paid version as it has many more features than that of the free one.

Sophos for Mac & PC

Macintosh users will be happy to hear that this antivirus, supports both Windows and the Mac operating system.

With fewer people making use of the Mac when compared to those who use the PC, not as much programs have support for the Mac. However, Sophos has excellent support for Mac users.

Blocks Malware Proactively

Unlike most other antivirus programs available that only provide protection against known malware, Sophos goes a step ahead with its heuristic engine that can analyze programs for suspicious behavior and block them before they can cause harm to your computer.

Real-Time Protection

The real-time threat intelligence provided by 24×7 SophosLabs makes sure that your computer is protected against new and developing zero-day exploits, ransomware attacks, malware, OS exploits, malicious websites, phishing attacks, PUAs (potentially unwanted programs), and viruses.

Protection Against Ransomware

Sophos Free Antivirus For Mac

The number of ransomware (also known as cryptoware, as the ransom to unlock the data has to be paid in cryptocurrency) attacks are on the increase, encrypting the data of unprotected computers, and forcing the owner to pay a hefty ransom to receive a key to unencrypt the data.

Most antiviruses cannot filter this threat. However, with Sophos installed on your computer, you can keep on working with peace of mind. If the software detects any activity trying to make changes that result in encrypted data, it will block the cryptoware and will also roll back the data on your computer's hard disk drive to a previous and pre tampered state.

What I Obtained from Testing Sophos

As mentioned above, I had pre-loaded my Windows computer with nearly 1,000 strains of viruses and malware. After installing Sophos and scanning the hard disk drive for the first time, the program was able to clean 99% of the threats on the first run.

It then rebooted into safe mode to clean certain malware, such as rootkits, which reside in memory and cannot be removed in the normal mode.

After the second round of cleaning, this software removed all traces of preloaded viruses. I deliberately tried to visit a potentially harmful site, but the program blocked my browser from accessing it and even informed me about the type of threat present on that site.

Most other and similar programs just remove viruses and malware, but Sophos goes the extra mile by removing remnants and traces of all viruses and malware.

Remote Security Management Offered By Sophos

As a computer security professional, I have to manage the computers of my clients too. The online portal of Sophos allows me to log on to my account on their server and remotely check other computers.

As the professional version allows support for up to 10 computers, I can easily use it to keep an eye on 9 different computers through the online Sophos dashboard.

Sophos Parental Control

The parental web filtering permits me to remotely block my kid's computer from accessing social networks, blogs, and sites containing inappropriate content.

Alerts You If Someone Attempts to Spy and Control Your Computer's Webcam or Mic

The software further alerts me when someone attempts to access my computer's microphone or webcam.

Password Protection

It also prevents malware from stealing confidential information such as username and passwords stored in my computer's memory.

Sophos Home vs McAfee

Let me format my computer and prepare it to test the capability of McAfee in this Sophos Antivirus vs McAfee evaluation.

McAfee

The first thing I noted was that McAfee is available in two different avatars… one for home users and the other one for businesses.

Sophos Home Vis A Vis McAfee Home

As I have only tested the home version of Sophos, it is fair that I test it against the home version of McAfee.

McAfee Free Trial

While this company also offers a free 30 days trial, it only offers a crippled version. Therefore, I was unable to test the capabilities of the paid version.

Like Sophos, the free version of this antivirus also allows users to install it on up to 10 devices and has support for the Macintosh too. However, I was shocked to see the pricing for the paid version and the fine print that most people are apt to miss.

McAfee Pricing

A huge banner on their site offers protection for up to ten devices for one year for $109.99. The price for a single device is $69.99 and $89.99 for 5 devices.

The single device version does not offer ID theft protection or a safe family module. The five device license does offer the former but does not include the latter. Therefore, you have to purchase a 10 device license to get all facilities such as:
• Safe family
• ID theft protection
• File encryption
• Password manager
• Network monitoring
• Firewall
• PC boost
• Ransomware protection
• Antimalware, antivirus, antispam, and
• PC optimization which includes a shredder and quick clean module

I can understand the necessity for a quick clean module, but I see no reason to include a shredder.

Manage All Connected Devices

Like with Sophos, McAfee, too, allows you to log into their server and take control over the additional devices your license permits.

Prevents Videos from Playing Automatically

The performance optimization option keeps your computer running like new and minimizes bandwidth usage by blocking auto-play videos on websites. However, this is not much of a concern as the latest policies of YouTube prevents videos from playing automatically. As more than 95 websites have a link to videos hosted on YouTube, the videos on them will not play automatically. For all purposes, this module is not worth it.

Similar Features in Both Sophos and McAfee

To be frank, I did not find much of a difference between the two programs as both of them have nearly the same features.

McAfee also provides you with protection against all types of malware, spyware, keyloggers, ransomware, viruses, and the rest.

Internet Speed

Unlike Sophos that works properly even on a low-speed internet connection, you need to have a high-speed internet connection to get the full value of McAfee.

Support for Mac and Windows – Both

I would like to point out in this Sophos vs McAfee comparison that both have support for Mac and Windows operating systems.

As both of them have versions for the Macintosh, it answers the queries of individuals asking whether they should use Sophos or McAfee for Mac.

Smartphone Support – Both

It is no use comparing McAfee vs Sophos 2019 for smartphones as they both offer apps for the Android and iOS platforms.

In Terms of Security

I would rate both Sophos home or McAfee equally as far as security is concerned as they both offer 128-bit encryption.

McAfee Livesafe vs Sophos Home

People often ask me about McAfee livesafe vs Sophos home. The reality is that both are identical. Livesafe is the term given by McAfee to its online dashboard you use to keep an eye on other devices protected with this software. This is the equivalent of the Sophos remote security management that also lets you control all the other devices connected to your account.

Impact on System Resources

I was disappointed with McAfee as it slowed down my computer significantly. This is despite the fact that the company states on its website that their software uses cloud-based threat analysis that protects your computer without slowing it down.

This should provide an answer to those who ask, “is Sophos better than McAfee?” In my opinion, a good cybersecurity program should not bog down system resources.

In Terms of Support

If you go by the number of rewards received, both programs are at par. Both of them claim to offer quality customer support. However, Sophos is ahead when you need support on an emergency basis. Their support page already contains an updated list of problems faced by their users along with answers to the same.

In the case of McAfee, I had to download and run their “virtual technician” program. This is not what users will prefer, especially if they need to get problems resolved immediately.

In Terms of Performance

Performance wise, both of them were adept enough at trapping all types of threats I threw at them. Both of them have identical modules under different names and both are user-friendly.

Sophos Anti Virus Review

This brings us to the question… which antivirus is better?

Sophos versus McAfee — is McAfee Better Than Sophos?

To round it up, I was impressed by both these programs. They offered everything that a professional cybersecurity program should. However, I would opt for a program that costs less, provides the same functionalities that its competitor does, and offers protection for the identical number of devices.

I would also give more preference to a program that does not slow down the speed of my computer. Keeping all these facts in mind, I would rate Sophos as the winner. Sophos compared to McAfee is cheaper and hardly eats into system resources. If you ask me which is best amongst these two, I would vote for Sophos.

Overview

Sophos has become a popular name in the world of antivirus protection. Their antivirus tool, though free of charge, is limited in its protection capabilities.

Sophos Home For Mac

With the premium program, your banking information is protected. Your privacy is assured, and all kinds of malware are stopped before they access your files. Viruses are removed in real-time. PUAs are blocked, and you get an online account to manage multiple devices in one place

To sum it up, Sophos fulfills its promises in offering unparalleled protection with utmost efficiency. They protect both Windows and Mac computers.

Spyware, Malware & Ransomware Scans

Sophos becomes active the moment you power on your computer. When you visit the Internet, the antivirus program immediately scans your browsers for any traces of malware infections. The free program also confirms whether a website may be harmful or not and blocks the harmful sites.

The premium Sophos virus protection program goes beyond blocking potentially harmful websites. It takes a proactive approach instead, monitoring your browser for suspicious bots and apps. Any threats found are instantly neutralized. Phishing attacks are stopped, and hackers are detected before they infiltrate your PC.

Antivirus (Basic for Free users and Premium for Paid users)

Both paid and free Sophos anti-virus users get real-time protection against computer threats. Whether the viruses come from external drives or from the Internet, Sophos neutralizes them instantly. Unlike many antiviruses, Sophos doesn’t bother with multiple types of scans. It does one comprehensive scan when activated, removing all kinds of threats.

As several lab tests have noted before, there is a difference in performance between Sophos’ free and paid programs. The free program identifies fewer PUAs (Potentially unwanted Apps) compared to the paid plan. The difference isn’t huge, but it’s worth noting.

Sophos Antivirus For Mac Review 2017

Remote Management (Basic and Premium users)

Sophos permits you the right to monitor your family’s computers with their permission. If you are the most tech-savvy person in your family, link your parents’ accounts to yours. You’ll be able to view security accounts from all accounts and block recommended sites. You can change the security settings and manage scans for all computers from your account.

Banking Protection (Premium Users)

Sophos Antivirus For Mac Reviews

In addition to the privacy protection feature that encrypts your keystroke, Sophos anti-virus has more features to protect your bank details. Your credit card numbers and key login details to E-wallet accounts are also safeguarded.

If you can’t take the provider’s word for it, know that their banking protection feature is MRG Effitas certified. That makes it one of the most effective tools to monitor and stop any suspicious activities targeting your banking information.

Ransomware Protection (Premium Users)

As ransomware attacks continue to increase worldwide, Sophos makes an effort to prevent you from being a victim. The top-rated antivirus program uses advanced technologies to monitor and filter out Ransomware files. It continuously checks your browsers for threats and blocks every single one of them in real-time.

Usually, Ransomware gets hold of your computer files and encrypts them to deny you any access. You then get threats and messages demanding money to get access to your files back. In most cases, the ransom is usually huge, and you don’t get your files back even after you pay. Sophos keeps you protected to ensure none of those scenarios ever happen to you.

Email Scans

Sophos is known to offer good phishing protection from anything to sites that contain malware, to email scams that aim to access your personal information. Therefore it will help deter you from opening email scams that could damage your device.

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Download Protection

Sophos catches malware at the download stage, it will automatically be scanned based on a reputations score. If the host has a low reputation score, Sophos would advise not to go ahead with the download.

Resource Usage

When it comes to its scanning speeds, the antivirus takes almost an hour to complete a scan. Both Bitdefender and Avast tend to be faster. In terms of efficiency, Sophos outranks all of them. Sophos has a 99% efficiency in removing Windows malware and 100% for Mac malware while the rest have efficiency rates below 98%. The only protection it performs a bit less is for PUA protection. While it scans all PUAs, it removes only 74% of them. By comparison, both McAfee and Norton antiviruses remove more than 96% (as ranked by PC Magazine).

Real-time Scanning

Sophos isn't designed to have multiple kinds of scans. If you click the scan feature, it does an in-depth assessment of your computer for threats.

A configuration tab on Sophos' user interface allows you to enable or disable different kinds of protection with ease. From web protection to real-time protection, you can configure the program depending on what services you want. If you don’t want your teenagers accessing adult sites, you can block them with one click.

Privacy Policy

Sophos Free Antivirus Review

Paying customers of Sophos receive a privacy protection service. With it, you get alerts if someone snoops on your computer's webcam or mic. Your keyboard's keystrokes are also encrypted to block keylogger tools from identifying your passwords as you type them.

Considering that keylogging is one of the most common ways hackers get into your devices, privacy protection is a must-have feature. Most webcams and microphones are never safe also. If you must secure your computer, ensure you have privacy protection guaranteed.

Sophos Home For Mac Reviews

Customer Support

Sophos will come to your rescue should you need assistance concerning their antivirus. First, they have a knowledge base where everyone can visit to find solutions to common problems. If not satisfied, you can always contact them. A web chat is available to premium customers. Alternatively, they can use web forms as a means of contacting Sophos, noting that phone calls are not allowed. Free customers can’t access customer support.