Sophos vs. Kaspersky: Home and Business Solutions Compared

Sophos vs. Kaspersky for Home Users: Key Differences

Core Offering and Packages

Sophos offers antivirus software known as Sophos Home. This software is available in two versions: Sophos Home Free and Sophos Home Premium. The free version offers antivirus protection, parental web filtering, and covers up to three devices. The premium version provides more advanced ransomware protection, privacy protection, and covers up to 10 devices.

Kaspersky offers three main packages for its home users: Kaspersky Anti-Virus, Kaspersky Internet Security, and Kaspersky Total Security. The Anti-Virus package provides basic protection, the Internet Security package offers premium protection plus privacy features, and the Total Security package additionally provides password management and file protection.

Threat Detection

Sophos places emphasis on its artificial intelligence capabilities, which can predict and stop new and unknown malware. It provides threat prevention and is known to achieve a low rate of false positives.

Kaspersky focuses on malware detection and eradication. It is known for its high detection rates and the ability to remove malware completely without leaving traces behind. Additionally, Kaspersky can block phishing attempts and warn users about dangerous websites.

Pricing and Packages

When it comes to pricing, Sophos tends to be more budget-friendly. Sophos Home Premium, for instance, is priced at $60 per year and covers up to 10 devices. Sophos Home Free provides basic protection for up to three devices without any cost.

Kaspersky’s pricing is slightly higher, with Kaspersky Total Security (their top package) priced at $90 per year for three devices. The basic Kaspersky Anti-Virus package is priced at $30 per year for one device. However, Kaspersky frequently offers discounts on their website.

User Interface and Experience

Sophos offers an interface that’s relatively easy to navigate and understand. The dashboard is uncluttered. Sophos Home is a lightweight package that doesn’t slow down device performance.

Kaspersky’s user interface offers a more detailed and granular control over settings. This can be useful for advanced users who want to customize their security settings to meet their specific needs. However, it might be a bit difficult to use for less tech-savvy users.

Sophos vs. Kaspersky For Businesses: Main Offerings

Here are the primary security solutions offered by Sophos and Kaspersky for businesses and large enterprises.

Sophos Intercept X

Sophos Intercept X is a cybersecurity solution that focuses on endpoint protection. It provides defense mechanisms against advanced cyber threats including ransomware, malware, and zero day exploits.

The first layer of protection that Intercept X offers is its deep learning threat identification technology. It identifies both known and unknown malware without using signatures, by learning to differentiate between benign and malicious software behavior. Another layer is anti-ransomware technology that identifies and blocks ransomware attacks before they can cause damage.

In the event of a successful ransomware attack, Sophos Intercept X provides its CryptoGuard technology. This tool reverts files back to their original state, neutralizing the threat. The Root Cause Analysis feature provides a report of the attack, helping your IT team understand how it happened and how to prevent it in the future.

Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business

Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business is a platform designed to protect businesses from a range of cyber threats. It offers multiple threat protection technologies, tools for system management, and mobile security features.

Kaspersky Endpoint Security is both reactive and proactive. Its Threat Management and Defense system detects threats, responds to incidents, and predicts future risks. 

Its Adaptive Anomaly Control tool monitors application behavior and blocks unusual or suspicious actions. Additionally, the software offers application, device, and web controls, giving businesses oversight of their digital environment.

Kaspersky EDR Expert

Kaspersky EDR Expert offers tools to detect, investigate, respond to, and prevent cyber threats on endpoint devices.

Its automated threat hunting feature scans your systems for signs of malicious activity, delivering alerts to your IT team. This approach reduces the time between threat infiltration and response.

EDR Expert also offers forensic capabilities. In the event of a security incident, the software provides an analysis of the attack, including the root cause, the affected systems, and the potential impact.

Kaspersky EDR Optimum

Kaspersky EDR Optimum is a lightweight version of EDR Expert, designed for businesses that lack in-house security expertise. While it doesn’t offer the full range of features that EDR Expert does, it protects against the majority of advanced cyber threats.

EDR Optimum shares the automated threat hunting feature with EDR Expert, providing real threat detection and alerts. However, it simplifies the response process by offering pre-defined scripts to remediate common threats. This makes it easier for IT teams to respond to cyber incidents, even if they lack advanced cybersecurity skills.

The software also includes a basic incident management system. This tool helps IT teams prioritize and manage security incidents, ensuring that critical threats are addressed first.

Learn more in our detailed guide to endpoint security management

Sophos Intercept X: Pros and Cons

The primary advantages of Sophos Intercept X are:

• Deep learning technology: Sophos Intercept X leverages deep learning, enabling it to identify both known and unknown malware without relying on traditional signatures.
• CryptoGuard: The software includes a feature that can revert ransomware-encrypted files back to their original state.
• Root cause analysis: This feature provides IT teams with detailed insights into how an attack occurred, which can help in future-proofing the network.
• Lightweight: The software has a minimal impact on system performance, allowing endpoints to operate smoothly while scans are in progress.
• Ease of use: The user interface is intuitive, making it easier for IT administrators to deploy and manage the solution.

Some disadvantages of Intercept X include:

• Cost: Sophos Intercept X can be more expensive compared to other endpoint protection solutions, particularly for smaller businesses.
• Limited additional features: While the software is robust in terms of malware and ransomware protection, it lacks some additional features like secure web gateway or data loss prevention.
• Learning curve: Despite its user-friendly interface, the array of features and settings can take time for IT and security teams to fully understand and utilize.

Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business: Pros and Cons

The primary advantages of Kaspersky business security solutions are:

• Multi-layered protection: Kaspersky Endpoint Security provides several cybersecurity capabilities, including features for system management and mobile security.
• Adaptive Anomaly Control: This feature monitors application behavior and flags any unusual or suspicious activities, offering more proactive threat detection.
• Granular control: The software offers control over settings, which is beneficial for advanced users.
• Automated threat hunting: This feature reduces the time between threat detection and response, allowing for quicker remediation.
• High detection rates: Kaspersky is known for its high detection rates and more thorough malware removal.

Disadvantages of Kasperky business security solutions include:

• Cost: Similar to Sophos, Kaspersky’s business solutions can be expensive.
• Complex interface: The granular control options, while useful for experts, can be complicated for less experienced users.
• Geopolitical concerns: Given the scrutiny and sanctions from western governments, companies may face compliance issues if they choose to use Kaspersky products.

Learn more in our detailed guide to Kaspersky endpoint security 

Sophos Intercept X vs. Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business: How to Choose?

Consider the following factors to choose which solution is best for your organization:

• Compliance and geopolitical considerations: If your company operates in a Western country, this should be the first concern. Given the political scrutiny around Kaspersky, consider whether using their products may lead to compliance issues.
• Usability: If ease of use is a priority, Sophos Intercept X may be a better choice. However, if you’re looking for granular control and have a dedicated, experienced IT team, Kaspersky might suit you better.
• Threat detection and response: Evaluate what kinds of threats are most relevant to your business. If your primary concern is advanced malware and ransomware, Sophos’s deep learning technology is a good fit. If you are concerned about a broader range of threats, Kaspersky’s multi-layered protection and high detection rates could be a good choice.
• Additional features: Identify additional features that may be critical for your organization. For instance, if mobile security or system management are crucial, Kaspersky’s broader suite of tools may be beneficial.

Cynet: Ultimate Sophos and Kaspersky Alternative

Cynet  is a holistic security solution that protects against threats to endpoint security and across your network. Cynet provides all of the basics of perimeter security, including next-generation antivirus (NGAV), intrusion detection, and management of virtual private networks (VPNs). 

Cynet’s intelligent technologies can help you detect attacks by correlating information from endpoints, network analytics and behavioral analytics with almost no false positives. 

With Cynet, you can proactively monitor entire internal environments, including endpoints, network, files, and hosts. This can help you reduce attack surfaces and the likelihood of multiple attacks. 

Cynet provides cutting edge EDR capabilities:

• Advanced endpoint threat detection—full visibility and predicts how an attacker might operate, based on continuous monitoring of endpoints and behavioral analysis.
• Investigation and validation—search and review historic or current incident data on endpoints, investigate threats, and validate alerts. This allows you to confirm the threat before responding to it, reducing dwell-time and performing faster remediation.
• Rapid deployment and response—deploy across thousands of endpoints within two hours. You can then use it to perform automatic or manual remediation of threats on the endpoints, disrupt malicious activity and minimize damage caused by attacks.

Learn more about our EDR security capabilities.

In addition, Cynet provides the following endpoint protection capabilities:

• NGAV—providing automated prevention and termination of malware, exploits, Macros, LOLBins, and malicious scripts with machine learning based analysis.
• User Behavioral Analytics (UBA)—detecting and preventing attacks using compromised credentials through the use of behavioral baselines and signatures.
• Deception technology—planting fake credentials, files and connections to lure and trap attackers, mitigating damage and providing the opportunity to learn from attacker activity.
• Monitoring and control—providing asset management, vulnerability assessments and application control with continuous monitoring and log collection.
• Response orchestration—providing manual and automated remediation for files, users, hosts and networks customized with user-created scripts.

Learn more about the Cynet cybersecurity platform.