Viruses are an ever-present threat for all computer users, with new strains emerging on a daily basis and carrying increasingly damaging payloads. For computers, an infection might cause system errors or data loss, open a route for hacker attack, or trigger the distribution of your personal files by email. For users, dealing with these results certainly costs time and money, and can even cost a reputation. There is no longer any doubt that effective virus protection for every computer is essential.

Complementing the Internet-based EmailSystems service which scans email for viruses, Atomwide has chosen Sophos as its partner for desktop anti-virus software to tackle threats from floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, and files downloaded from the Internet. Sophos Anti-Virus is used on more than 10 million computers around the world, regularly achieves high scores in independent tests and wins awards in magazine reviews.

Compatible with a broad range of platforms, including Windows, MacOS, Unix and OS/2, Sophos Anti-Virus offers fast, simple and effective protection against all kinds of virus, including document-based macro infections and program-based malicious code. Furthermore, worldwide offices mean that Sophos technical staff are on hand 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to provide support and release updated virus identity files that address newly identified threats; these files are made available for Internet download and are sent each month to registered users on a CD-ROM.

Network managers will appreciate the extensive and easy-to-use range of tools included with Sophos Anti-Virus for deploying the software to client computers, keeping systems up-to-date with new releases, and logging any virus incidents.

Sophos Anti-Virus is licensed on a subscription basis, with pricing dependent on the number of computers involved. For commercial customers, up to 10% of the purchased licences can be installed on servers at no extra cost and, additionally, employees who use Sophos are entitled to install the package on their home PCs for free. Education customers can install licences on server, desktop or portable computers without restriction, and qualify for substantial discounts.

A 30 day evaluation copy of Sophos Anti-Virus is available for download here, while a screenshot of the Windows version can be viewed here.