Sophos at Work FAQs for Employees

Maricopa Community Colleges uses Sophos’ sophisticated antivirus/anti-malware endpoint protection software on all Maricopa-issued computers.

The Sophos software provides the following advantages.

Sophos offers a more robust set of industry-standard security tools to help reduce external threats to our organization.
A single tool protects Windows and Apple computers - currently, Maricopa pays for separate tools to protect each operating system.

Answers to popular questions about the Sophos antivirus/anti-malware software are below. If there are additional questions, employees should contact their local help desk for assistance.

Click any question below to expand the answer.

Getting Sophos for Home Use

How do I take advantage of the “free” home use offering?

The free offer, available to current Maricopa students, faculty, and staff, includes Sophos Home Commercial Edition. This offer does not include other Sophos antivirus products.

Visit this dedicated download site, Maricopa Sophos Home Commercial Edition, to get started.

What happens when I am no longer an active employee or student?

Once no longer active, the employee or student would receive a License Expired notification from Sophos.

Getting Started with Sophos at Work

What do I need to do for my Maricopa provided equipment?

For Sophos to be installed on your Maricopa-issued computer, you will need to have your computer on and connected over VPN if working remotely. Computers that are onsite will update automatically. Please watch for college instructions for more specific information or contact your college help desk.

What is Virtual Priviate Network (VPN)? What does it do?

While most of Maricopa's applications and services can be accessed remotely and from anywhere, some applications, services and functions are restricted to the Maricopa network.

VPN access will be required in these cases. VPN is a technology that enables secure, encrypted connection between your computer and resources on the Maricopa network.

Note: VPN access and instructions may vary by location. Please contact your local help desk for assistance.

I am an active student and have a Maricopa owned device checked out to me due to the pandemic, what do I need to do?

Some of our students were provided with Maricopa owned equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic. If you are a student in this category, please contact your college IT help desk for assistance. A contact list is available.

How do I know if the Sophos is installed on my Maricopa device?

After installation, the Sophos software will display status messages on your computer on occasion.

On Microsoft Windows 10-based computers, you will see the Sophos icon in the notification area - bottom right hand area of your screen.

On Apple Mac OS computers, you will see the Sophos icon in the upper right-hand corner. Please note that where you may find this notification may vary by the Mac operating system.

Where do I obtain technical support if I need it for my Maricopa provided equipment?

Just as with other technology used at Maricopa and at your college, please submit a help desk ticket or contact your college/District support team. A contact list is available.

I am unsure if the VPN software is installed and how to use it. Can you provide instructions to help me install and use it?

Yes. Firstly, you must be granted VPN access to use this service. To request VPN access, please submit a help desk ticket at your location. Please note that VPN client installation instructions may vary by location. If you have questions, please contact your local help desk for assistance.