My girlfriend request that I installed an antivirus program on her computer. It identified a trojan horse virus that it was not able to remove from the computer. We were told by a Staples technician that this was likely a scam and that we could have been by change a significant amount of money to remove the virus…
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Jeff Tucker
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Is Sophos a Legitimate Antivirus Program?
Comments: 5 Responses to “Is Sophos a Legitimate Antivirus Program?”
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Yes, most of the time when people see a "you have a virus" message, it is a simple scam. It could be a spam email, or a fake phone call, or just a plain web ad that looks like an alert box or something. The best, the purpose is to get you to buy some anti-virus app. At worst, it is an attempt to gain access to your computer and your stuff.
But as far as Sophos, I don't know. I don't use any anti-virus app and never recommend one. macOS has this built-in. Besides that, you simply need to follow basic rules to stay safe.
Take a look at my course on Mac Security. It is completely free. There is also a free ebook:
http://macmost.com/online-course-the-practical-guide-to-mac-security.html
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-practical-guide-to-mac-security/id1193415597?mt=11
Sophos is one the the largest AV companies in the enterprise world. They over an amazing macOS AV program for Free (Sophos Home). And as for AV for Macs, you obviously haven't read the news the last 5 years or in the IT world, you still need to follow basic guidelines (don't download email attachments or visit nefarious sites) but running an AV program that helps fight cryptoware and malware is highly recommended.
Wow! Someone telling Gary that he obviously hasn't read the news in 5 years!
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and can do what they want with their computers. But as I follow the news when it comes to Macs closely, my recommendation stands. You've got to follow basic security precautions, but a specific app (aka anti-virus) is not needed on Macs. Just keep them up-to-date, don't download if you don't trust, and keep up with the news.
I've been using Sophos for several years. It is legit and it works well without any noticeable overhead. About 4 times a year I get a notice. It's always a Windows virus that rode along with an email. Usually from Win based friends. They won't execute on a Mac. Most are tossed away in the trash. Others are quarantined by Sophos.
To give credence to Gary, I've previously turned Sophos off for three years with no problems. I have it there just in case.