GEC NEWS WIREAs the world enters an M2M era, Sophos ensures that the end to end communications are secure and synchronized. The new service offerings from Sophos is all set to prove that ‘simplified security’ is not just a catchphrase, but a reality.
Time and again there have been discussions around network and endpoint security but the idea to link the both has been put into action by Sophos- what has been the driving factor and how do you think this would help in making security simpler for enterprises worldwide?
Sophos believes that security should be comprehensive, that it should work as a system, and that it should be made simple to use. This was the driving factor that went into innovating a new security strategy with Sophos Security Heartbeat. And as the outcome has it, we have successfully delivered cyber security capability that was previously beyond the reach of companies without a dedicated IT security team. The testament lies in the fact that for the first time, the two worlds of security technologies, endpoint and network, which operated in silos now can directly share intelligence with each other. Unlike other advanced threat protection offerings, the Sophos approach doesn’t require additional agents and layers of management, requiring yet more investment. Instead, it sets new expectations for the synchronization of security products every business is already using – firewalls and endpoint security. Not only does this make security more simple but also enables faster threat discovery and much improved quality of threat response. Security Heartbeat is nothing less than a boon for small and mid-sized businesses. It is because they are vulnerable to the same types of attacks as large organizations, however, they do not have the in-house staff, skills or resources to build and administer non-integrated approaches. Security Heartbeat brings a befitting answer here.
How exactly is Sophos linking the two important aspects of security? Tell us about the Sophos Security Heartbeat.
Synchronized security allows next generation endpoint and network security solutions to continuously share meaningful information about suspicious and confirmed bad behaviour across an entire organization’s extended IT ecosystem. Leveraging a direct and secure connection called the Sophos Security Heartbeat, endpoint and network protection act as one integrated system, enabling organizations to prevent, detect, investigate, and remediate threats in near real time, without adding any staff. As an example, when the Sophos next-gen firewall detects an advanced threat or an attempt to leak confidential data, it can automatically utilize the Sophos Security Heartbeat to take a series of actions across both the network and endpoint to mitigate risk and stop data loss instantly. Similarly, if a protected endpoint is discovered to be compromised, synchronized security allows automated and near instantaneous isolation of this endpoint, preventing it from leaking confidential information or sending data to a Command and Control server. This type of discovery and incident response, which could take weeks or months, has been reduced to seconds with synchronized security
Sophos goes by the catchphrase- ‘Security made simple’ -How are you actually simplifying it?
We deliver a unique product strategy of complete security, made simple. Other security vendors provide solutions, which only offer partial coverage, or are too complex, or both.Security was once just a keeper at the gate, more like a guardian of the perimeter. Now it functions as a catalyst of new opportunities, enabling businesses to embrace 3rd platform technologies and a bold new change. It is inevitable to keep security simple in its new role. Answers to the complex cyber-threats faced by today’s businesses and organizations don’t lie in complex security solutions. We offer comprehensive security solutions that are easy to deploy, manage and control.
The market focus has shifted from product centric to solution centric and now the services model is taking off in a big way. How has the transition been so far for Sophos and what lies ahead?
Having launched Synchronized Security in MEA, Sophos is promoting a new change among its regional channel partners; and this involves taking a departure from product-centric selling to solutions driven selling. Our security solutions cater to both end user and network security, enabled by the cloud. Sophos has partnered with a wide range of customers spanning a myriad of verticals including healthcare, retail, education, government, service providers, IT and telecom and more in the region and has provided security solutions for a wide array of use cases. We understand that channel partners always remain one step closer to customers, and are therefore better positioned to address customer needs on a case-by-case, day-by-day basis. To this end, we are bringing greater empowerment to help them sell solutions or answers for diverse security needs. By taking them beyond traditional revenue models, whereby it results in a win-win for our partners and customers alike.
