Sophos Extends Next-Generation Endpoint Security Capabilities With Intercept X Launch

Sophos is extending its next-generation endpoint security portfolio with the launch Thursday of Intercept X, a solution to provide added detection, protection and remediation capabilities to partners and customers on the endpoint.

The new Intercept X product, which can be sold as an add-on to existing Sophos solutions or independently, offers signature-less threat and exploit detection, CryptoGuard anti-ransomware capabilities to both block and remediate ransomware, root cause analysis to map attacks and provide recommendations for future, and Sophos Clean to clean up spyware and malware in an environment.

While the market is seeing a rise in next-generation endpoint security solutions, Kendra Krause, vice president of global channels at Sophos, said Intercept X sets itself apart with an affordable price point and remediation capabilities, in addition to prevention, and root cause analysis. Those capabilities are particularly important to mid-market customers, she said, because they don’t necessarily have the resources for independent remediation and analysis of an attack.

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’[Intercept X has] protection, detection and response in a single endpoint product … That’s what makes it really appealing to our partner base. They want to be able to help more than just in selling software,’ Krause said.

Sam Heard, president of Lakeland, Fla.-based Data Integrity Services, has been involved in the product beta and said he already has a waiting list of clients ready to deploy the solution. He added that he's getting clients ready for migration as soon as it's officially rolled out. Heard said he's augmenting any type of new client or renewal with Intercept X or at least preparing the client for an add-on in the future.

Heard said clients are particularly drawn to Intercept X’s anti-ransomware capabilities. For that reason, plus free-upgrade promotions and advanced security capabilities, Heard said he has gotten almost unanimous agreement from clients for the add-on.

’It protects my clients … If my clients are happy and my clients are stable … that’s the best tool for growth, I think. Success breeds success,’ Heard said.

The Intercept X launch also plays into a building strategy at Sophos around what the company calls ’synchronized security,’ bringing together intelligence from its endpoint and network security portfolios. The solution resides on the same agent as the Sophos endpoint security solution, so it also shares that same threat intelligence, Krause said.

’It fits into what we’re doing around synchronized security. That’s a big driver for our partners, as well, because it fits into the full, complete, end-to-end solution that they want to be able to go out there and offer their customers,’ Krause said.

Krause said Sophos will continue to add next-generation capabilities like Intercept X into the Sophos Central integrated security platform and its synchronized security strategy. In July, the company also announced it was adding its encryption technologies into the same strategy.

Heard said the synchronized security is a big selling point with his clients, saying they ’love it.’ He said he sold deals earlier this year based solely off the synchronized security strategy, including the removal of a competitive endpoint security product before it was due to be renewed.

’It’s a game changer that they have brought to the table,’ Heard said.

Intercept X is available as of Thursday, with a free trial available through the company’s website. Krause said a flex-pay billing option will be available for the solution by the end of the year.