Sophos Introduces New XGS Series Desktop Firewalls for SMBs

Sophos, a global provider of cybersecurity solutions, has introduced nine new XGS Series desktop firewall appliances aimed at midmarket, smaller-sized businesses, and branch offices of larger organizations. These new appliances offer double the performance of previous models while reducing energy consumption by 50%. The XGS Series features a streamlined architecture and multiple high-speed connectivity options, with four fanless models designed for noise-sensitive environments.

Updated Firewall Software for Enhanced Cybersecurity

Sophos also announced updates to its Sophos Firewall software, which now provides enhanced protection against cyberattacks. The software includes the ability to integrate third-party threat intelligence feeds, allowing organizations to customize their firewall security based on specific regional or industry requirements. Additionally, the updated software improves scalability for distributed networks and facilitates a seamless upgrade from legacy firewalls to the latest XGS appliances.

By leveraging improved virtual FastPath acceleration capabilities, the new Sophos XGS appliances deliver up to three times the performance in IPsec VPN throughput compared to previous models.

Third-Party Threat Intelligence Integration

Sophos has expanded the capabilities of its firewall software by allowing users to integrate third-party threat intelligence feeds from various sources. These sources include security vendors, Managed Service Providers (MSPs), industry consortiums, Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs), and other threat intelligence platforms. The third-party feeds complement Sophos’ proprietary threat intelligence, which is sourced from Sophos X-Ops and includes data from SophosLabs, Sophos Managed Detection and Response (MDR), and Sophos Extended Detection and Response (XDR) technology.

In combination with Sophos Active Threat Response, which is built into Sophos-managed endpoints, the firewall software can automatically isolate potential threats. This synchronized response provides defenders with valuable time to assess and respond to attacks, reducing the risk of damage.

“The new Sophos XGS appliances and Sophos Firewall software launches are all about providing users with world-class ‘performance and protection’ at competitive pricing. We’re innovating and advancing how organizations should use firewall technology to defend against persistent, modern-day cyberattacks targeting the midmarket and smaller businesses,” said Dan Cole, senior vice president, of Network and Content Security at Sophos. “This includes designing our firewall software to now also leverage threat intelligence feeds from third-party sources, in addition to Sophos’ native threat intelligence, for faster, real-time response to a broader scope of suspicious activity. The support also gives defenders greater control over their risk profile.” 

The latest Sophos Firewall software includes several key enhancements:

Improved Performance and Scalability: The new XGS Series desktop appliances benefit from a threefold increase in IPsec VPN performance, faster authentication burst performance, and improvements in failover processes for SD-RED tunnels, dynamic routes, and Active Directory interactions.
  
Streamlined Management: The software introduces a refreshed user experience, support for Let’s Encrypt certificates, integrated Google Workspace authentication, and improved visibility of network objects, simplifying firewall management tasks.

Seamless Device Upgrades: A new configuration backup assistant, port mapping support, and free license overlap for customers upgrading from Sophos XG firewall appliances provide greater flexibility and ease in transitioning to newer hardware.

These enhancements aim to provide users with better protection, scalability, and ease of use across their networks.

“This release of new desktop models as part of the Sophos XGS Series of hardware appliances sets a new high bar for performance and efficiency. The update enhances value at every price-point, with a three-fold increase in IPsec VPN throughput and up to two times better overall performance, all while cutting energy consumption in half,” said Christopher Rodriguez, research director for Security and Trust at IDC. “Combined with enhancements in protection, scalability and ease-of-use from their latest OS release, Sophos Firewall provides significant value to organizations of all sizes, without raising its prices.”

“Sophos makes firewall deployment, integration and management straightforward,” said Benjamin Schwarzbauer, team lead, Network and Security at Luithle + Luithle, a Sophos partner in Germany. “Its tight integration with the broader Sophos ecosystem allows us to efficiently manage security for our customers. The firewall’s comprehensive features not only strengthen security but also ensure reliable performance and regulatory compliance. This allows our customers to focus on their business.”

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