Another tip in a series provided by the Offices of Information Security, Information Systems & Computing and Audit, Compliance & Privacy

Sophos Home, an application for virus and malware protection, is now available to the University community. Sophos Home replaces Symantec Endpoint Protection, which was the previously recommended antivirus software solution. The software is available at no charge to eligible and active faculty, staff, and students for use on personally-owned computers. It may be installed on up to ten computers. It is available for Mac-OS and Windows operating systems; it is not available for Linux.

Antivirus software is still needed for Mac-OS and Windows systems. While both Apple, Microsoft, and other developers have worked to make their operating systems and software more resistant to compromise, additional protection is advisable, especially for personally-owned systems. 

Sophos Home is not intended for use on University-managed computers.

Before installing Sophos Home, please uninstall any other antivirus software according to the vendor’s instructions. 

Some features offered by Sophos Home include:

• Antivirus protection
• Malware scanning
• Protection for devices from ransomware
• Blocking of compromised and phishing websites
• Privacy protections that help secure your webcam and microphone

For more information on downloading and installing: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/sophos-home#General. 

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For additional tips, see the One Step Ahead link on the Information Security website: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/security/news-alerts#One-Step-Ahead.