SEC 5.2.1 and Sophos for MAC OS X Preview (9.0.3)

Sophos Cloud is a managed option and hence allows a central administrator to enforce, maintain compliance, and change local AV settings.

Trying to understand the requirements from both angles…

From reading the thread it seems that the situation is one where there is a requirement to provide Mac users, who (and this is important) own the computer and is an administrator of it, an antivirus solution that minimizes the need for the end user to ‘‘‘‘get involved’’’’ in setting up the software.

I think the key thing here is that the business doesn’’’’t own nor control the hardware and hence may not want endpoint antivirus software with full management capabilities as the IT department could end up fully owning or being further responsible for the installation. However the business want to make it as quick and as simple as possible for the user to get up and running and best protected.

Currently you can preprogram the standalone installer with updating credentials but the antivirus scanning settings are left to the default. The scanning settings are configured for best protection for on-access scanning and Live/Web Protection out of the box but do not include a scheduled scan and obviously has no awareness of network/environment customizations like excluding a particular drive etc.

If the business owned the hardware they would definitely want/need to pick a managed solution (Cloud or Enterprise Console).

If the user owned the hardware themselves and is conscious that an antivirus solution is required they’’’’d buy a license for standalone SAV and use the credentials provided on the license schedule. Or, if they aren’’’’t using the Mac in a professional capacity, opt for the free SAV for Mac Home Edition which as pre-programmed updating credentials. However in both cases the end user would need to read up on the software if they wanted to ensure it is configured exactly how it needs to be.

The issue seems to be this overlap or even gap in the middle where an IT department for a company or college is mandated with providing antivirus protection to whomever needs it (e.g., everyone that connects to, or interacts with their systems) whatever that user’’’’s relationship is to the business, and to maximize adoption and smooth out any hindrance to the users that may stop the user from protecting their own computer.

Anyway, that’’’’s my take on it, maybe others agree or have a different view.

Sophos Cloud is a managed option and hence allows a central administrator to enforce, maintain compliance, and change local AV settings.

Trying to understand the requirements from both angles…

From reading the thread it seems that the situation is one where there is a requirement to provide Mac users, who (and this is important) own the computer and is an administrator of it, an antivirus solution that minimizes the need for the end user to ‘‘‘‘get involved’’’’ in setting up the software.

I think the key thing here is that the business doesn’’’’t own nor control the hardware and hence may not want endpoint antivirus software with full management capabilities as the IT department could end up fully owning or being further responsible for the installation. However the business want to make it as quick and as simple as possible for the user to get up and running and best protected.

Currently you can preprogram the standalone installer with updating credentials but the antivirus scanning settings are left to the default. The scanning settings are configured for best protection for on-access scanning and Live/Web Protection out of the box but do not include a scheduled scan and obviously has no awareness of network/environment customizations like excluding a particular drive etc.

If the business owned the hardware they would definitely want/need to pick a managed solution (Cloud or Enterprise Console).

If the user owned the hardware themselves and is conscious that an antivirus solution is required they’’’’d buy a license for standalone SAV and use the credentials provided on the license schedule. Or, if they aren’’’’t using the Mac in a professional capacity, opt for the free SAV for Mac Home Edition which as pre-programmed updating credentials. However in both cases the end user would need to read up on the software if they wanted to ensure it is configured exactly how it needs to be.

The issue seems to be this overlap or even gap in the middle where an IT department for a company or college is mandated with providing antivirus protection to whomever needs it (e.g., everyone that connects to, or interacts with their systems) whatever that user’’’’s relationship is to the business, and to maximize adoption and smooth out any hindrance to the users that may stop the user from protecting their own computer.

Anyway, that’’’’s my take on it, maybe others agree or have a different view.