Late last week we released version 4.3.0.2 of Sophos Web Appliance to all customers. This is the final update in the process of rolling out version 4.3 to all customers.

Version 4.3 of the Web Appliance adds a few new features along with an upgrade to the base Operating System to ensure that the latest security fixes continue to be easily available to you.

One of the changes made is an update to the communications protocols used by Sandstorm features. The changes improve security of communications and also enable more flexibility in responses. If you are using Sandstorm, you should upgrade to version 4.3 as soon as possible to avoid potential issues as our older services are turned down.

If you have tried Sandstorm before, but opted not to buy it, version 4.3 is a great opportunity to try Sandstorm again. We have reset the Free Trial status for all appliances and you can try Sandstorm for another 30 days by clicking the link on the Dashboard.

Other Highlights of the release include:

  • Sandstorm enhancements:
    • Administrator can send files for analysis via the SWA Dashboard - either upload a file directly, or provide the URL of a file to retrieve and submit
    • Select a geographic data center for Sandstorm submissions - if you have concerns or restrictions regarding where files downloaded via your SWA should be sent for analysis, you can now specify which data center to use. The default option selects the best location automatically, but you can choose between our United States or Europe locations if you prefer.
    • Administrator receives an alert if a released file turns out to be malicious.
    • Support for an updated communications model with the Cloud service
  • Kernel and base OS component upgrade
  • New file types, allowing you to proactively block risky Windows script and system files
  • Updated the built-in Root CAs to ensure compatibility with the widest range of HTTPS sites

We also fixed a bunch of defects and security issues.

For full details, please refer to the release notes :