Advisory: Endpoint Security and Control, updated software components being released to facilitate new security certificates

Sophos will be updating some product components over the next two weeks. These updates are mandatory and automatic but do not require any action on your part (no reboots will be required). The updates are being released in order to facilitate the use of new security certificates for digital signing purposes.

Why is Sophos doing this?

As an integral part of the Sophos updating capability, we digitally sign files that are made available for downloading. Digital signatures are applied to the software and updates sent by Sophos. They are used by the software to verify that the originator of the software is Sophos and thus enhance security. We are in the process of renewing our security certificates which will mean that some components will need to be updated. Because of the way that the digital signatures work we will need to issue revised components within some of the client software, specifically:

• Sophos AutoUpdate (SAU)
• Sophos Client Firewall (SCF)
• Network Access Control agent (NAC)

When will this happen?

Updates for users subscribed to non-fixed packages (e.g. Latest) in EM Library are scheduled for the week commencing 24 November 2008, while users subscribed to fixed packages in EM Library will be updated during the week commencing 1 December 2008.

Downloads

Your endpoint computers will automatically download these updates from their normal update location. Depending on the Sophos Endpoint Security and Control products you have installed on your endpoint computers, the size of the download will vary:

• Endpoints running Sophos Anti-Virus will download the revised Sophos AutoUpdate components which will be 3MB in size.
• Endpoints running both Sophos Anti-Virus and the Sophos Client Firewall will download an additional 3MB (6MB in total).
• Endpoints running the full Endpoint Security and Control package with Sophos Anti-Virus, Sophos Client Firewall and the Sophos Network Access Control agent will download a total of 17MB (12MB for the NAC agent).