Know how Sophos solutions support secure remote learning in education

Products•Sophos RED•XG Firewall

Sophos XG Firewall and SD RED devices offer schools and colleges multiple options for secure remote connectivity.

May 29 2020 By

Today, as most schools and universities worldwide are left with emergency closures because of the COVID-19 pandemic, remote learning with digital tools is helping students, teachers, and administrative staff to stay connected. Because of this scenario, secure remote access and safe web filtering have become critical to maintain continuity of learning and teaching.

Securing remote access with Sophos

Sophos XG Firewall and SD RED devices offer schools and colleges multiple options for secure remote connectivity. XG Firewalls come with built-in support for IPsec and SSL VPN connectivity, allowing schools to choose either or both. Executives can take advantage of Sophos SD-RED (software-defined remote ethernet device) that establishes a plug-and-play contact with XG Firewall for a dedicated VPN tunnel, providing  secure access to sensitive organizational resources or to online SaaS resources.

Schools can remotely connect with each other and to their headquarters within a district using SD-WAN integrated into Sophos XG Firewall and securely share information between sites.

With more people working and learning from home, there’s a greater chance they’re plugging new devices into their school-issued laptops. Peripheral control in Sophos Intercept X allows schools and universities to control what employees and students can and can’t plug into their devices.

Securing remote connections

If the XG Firewall has a TotalProtect Plus or FullGuard Plus license, traffic is scanned for ransomware, viruses, intrusions, and other threats in both directions, providing comprehensive protection. Sophos Sandstorm inspects and blocks executables and documents containing executable content coming in through phishing, spam, and web downloads before the file is delivered to the user’s device.

Securing against web threats

XG Firewall’s Web Protection engine, backed by SophosLabs, includes advanced web protection capabilities and innovative technologies like pharming protection, HTTPS scanning, and potentially unwanted app control, required to identify and block the latest web threats. The powerful, built-in web filtering policies assist with CIPA compliance and other education-specific features for SafeSearch and YouTube control.

The Web Control capabilities in Sophos Intercept X stop the downloading of risky file types and block access to inappropriate websites. Intercept X for Mobile also helps to keep students and staff safe on the web, similarly blocking dangerous downloads or web browsing on mobile devices.

Synchronizing security

If a remote device has an active Sophos Intercept X license and it becomes infected, XG Firewall uses the security information via the Security Heartbeat™ to isolate the device until it is cleaned, preventing the infection from moving laterally to other devices on the network.

Identity and access control

XG Firewall’s user identity-based policies and unique user risk analysis enable next-gen control over applications, web surfing, bandwidth quotas, and other network resources. Limit access to critical resources only to those who are authorized with two-factor authentication (2FA) support for access to key system areas, including IPsec and SSL VPN, the user portal, and the web administration console.

Effortless remote setup

The Sophos Central management platform allows easy setup and protection for employees who are working from home, even if they are a new user or using a personal device.

Download the PDF on secure remote learning in education for more details and to learn how Sophos solutions ensure continuous education from anywhere. Find out how Sophos offers a safe platform for students and faculty and enables them to continue to interact and collaborate so that learning doesn’t stop for them.

For comments, suggestions or new requests, write to solutionmarketing@sophos.com.

About the Author

Sophos is a global leader and innovator of advanced security solutions that defeat cyberattacks, including Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and incident response services and a broad portfolio of endpoint, network, email, and cloud security technologies. As one of the largest pure-play cybersecurity providers, Sophos defends more than 600,000 organizations and more than 100 million users worldwide from active adversaries, ransomware, phishing, malware, and more. Sophos’ services and products connect through the Sophos Central management console and are powered by Sophos X-Ops, the company’s cross-domain threat intelligence unit. Sophos X-Ops intelligence optimizes the entire Sophos Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem, which includes a centralized data lake that leverages a rich set of open APIs available to customers, partners, developers, and other cybersecurity and information technology vendors. Sophos provides cybersecurity-as-a-service to organizations needing fully managed security solutions. Customers can also manage their cybersecurity directly with Sophos’ security operations platform or use a hybrid approach by supplementing their in-house teams with Sophos’ services, including threat hunting and remediation. Sophos sells through reseller partners and managed service providers (MSPs) worldwide. Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, U.K. More information is available at www.sophos.com.