102 Macworld • October 2019BUYING GUIDEin an unscientific test to find out how well Sophos
Home Premium’s always‑on protection works.
The results were good, but one malware sample
was apparently ignored once it arrived on the test
bed – DarthMiner. Even attempting to run this and
therefore infect the Mac didn’t seem to awaken
Sophos Home Premium, and it wasn’t picked up in a
subsequent on‑demand scan either.
Curiously, the VirusTotal database reports
that Sophos Home Premium claims to detect this
malware. Our best guess is that this blind siding of
Sophos Home Premium for Mac was a peculiarity
with our particular sample of this malware, although
we note that other malware apps we’ve tested
caught it without issue.
For the other malware samples that were
detected, some were cleaned automatically, while
others caused Sophos Home Premium to pop‑up
a warning with a button offering to clean‑up the
malware. Of course, most people will instantly
click this, but we’re unsure why Sophos Home
Premium didn’t just clean‑up or quarantine malware
automatically like most of the other malware apps.Other security features
Other features that come with Sophos Home
Premium include CryptoGuard, which aims to
protect against ransomware. Unlike other anti‑
malware apps’ ransomware protection, which
typically aim to stop unauthorized apps changing
files in the user’s personal folders, CryptoGuard
constantly monitors the system for the kind of102 Macworld • October 2019
BUYING GUIDE
inanunscientifictesttofindouthowwellSophos
HomePremium’salways‑on protection works.
The results were good, but one malware sample
was apparently ignored once it arrived on the test
bed – DarthMiner. Even attempting to run this and
therefore infect the Mac didn’t seem to awaken
SophosHomePremium,andit wasn’tpickedupina
subsequenton‑demand scan either.
Curiously, the VirusTotal database reports
that Sophos Home Premium claims to detect this
malware. Our best guess is that this blind siding of
Sophos Home Premium for Mac was a peculiarity
with our particular sample of this malware, although
we note that other malware apps we’ve tested
caught it without issue.
For the other malware samples that were
detected,somewerecleanedautomatically,while
otherscausedSophosHomePremiumtopop‑up
a warningwitha buttonofferingtoclean‑up the
malware. Of course, most people will instantly
clickthis,butwe’reunsurewhySophosHome
Premiumdidn’tjustclean‑up or quarantine malware
automatically like most of the other malware apps.Other security features
Other features that come with Sophos Home
Premium include CryptoGuard, which aims to
protectagainstransomware.Unlikeotheranti‑
malware apps’ ransomware protection, which
typically aim to stop unauthorized apps changing
files in the user’s personal folders, CryptoGuard
constantly monitors the system for the kind of