XProtect uses virus signatures, so cannot protect against new ransomware malware or variants, but will block anything already discovered.
(More on that in a moment.) That’s because Apple’s silent XProtect feature has definitions for all known ransomware, blocking it from running. Then the administrator can configure and run scans remotely.Īs one of only two companies offering ransomware-specific file monitoring, Sophos rises to the top with a proviso: We were unable to independently test the feature separately, although we had it demonstrated for us by the company and examined said demo in-depth.
That’s apparent both from the licensing, with a $50 a year fee covering up to 10 computers (Mac and PC), and from how the license owner can send a link for another person to install and join the family group without additional steps for setup. Sophos markets this as a way to help family members, especially ones not at the same address. Unlike other antivirus suites, Sophos utilizes cloud-based controls.
It also prevented us from loading web pages with malicious software via the WICAR test site. During our real-world tests, it knocked out macOS malware as soon as it was unzipped from an encrypted archive. Those scores could be marginally better, but these databases are constantly being updated. AV-TEST found it detected 98.4 percent of macOS malware, over 95 percent of macOS PUA, and over 99 percent of Windows malware. On its anti-virus performance, it’s not perfect, but it’s close. As it stands, the set of features, cloud-based configuration, and price make it the outstanding entrant in the field. Sophos released its latest version of what it simply calls Sophos Home (free) and Sophos Home Premium (paid) just before we began testing, and as such it may have a leg up on competitors that have revisions in progress. Sophos Home Premium has the most extensive and up-to-date approach to fighting malware at an unbeatable price. Bug in current version that requires repetitive log in to view activity history.