Christmas Toy Peace-of-Mind (for Free)

Merry Christmas all hard working IT professionals!

If you fall within two standard deviations of centre under a normal bell-curve for IT workers you just picked up a whole packet of new devices of all varieties to support!  This will include diverse products like PC’s, Macs and Android systems and your user’s technical ability and willingness to accept guidance will vary greatly as well. 

That’s right – I’m talking about electronic Christmas gifts.  Your family got them and now you have to support them.  Isn’t Christmas a joyous time.

Problem:

Unfortunately the bad people know how Christmas works too and Santa delivered them a world of new, unsecured devices connecting to the internet. 

Your Grandma’s new PC might open avenues to her living a happier, fuller life through online Klondike and email but the haphazardly applied security (if applied at all) makes that connectivity a risk so it’s your job to make sure she doesn’t lose her life savings to a Nigerian Prince by clicking a link, visiting a website, installing… argg! 

You could rely on the bloatware antivirus products that came preinstalled to protect her but these products are often limited in functionality, time-bombed, unsupported or just plain not much good – and it’s your Gran right, you want to do a good job!  This is a prickly peccadillo.

Solution:

Lucky for you Sophos have made your job as your Gran’s computer support/security person easier with Sophos Home and Sophos Mobile Security for Android – for free!  

Sophos have many tools in their security suite that home users can install and use for free.  For instance with Sophos Home you can centrally manage up to 10 PC’s or Macs from a secure web console and your admin load is limited to sending the unique link to your Gran to install (maybe do it for her).  She clicks to install and Sophos ensures her PC or Mac stays secure with rock-solid, up-to-date malware protection!  There is no requirement for you to make sure she’s updating her security and nothing to configure. 

If your Gran actually got a new Android then Sophos Mobile Security for Android has tools to combat viruses, malware, loss or theft.

If you prefer a little more involvement with your security product you might consider the Sophos UTM Home Edition – also free – to get a consolidated email/browsing/firewall/spam solution for your entire home.

Check out the FREE Sophos home tools at https://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-tools.aspx or search for "Sophos free tools".

Dave Vane is not affiliated with Sophos in any way and the use of the Sophos logo is not meant to imply any connection.  However, in the interest of transparency he admits to using Sophos products widely in both his professional and personal life.