Sophos, a global leader of innovative security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, has announced a strategic threat intelligence sharing partnership with Halcyon, the leading anti-ransomware solution provider.

This collaboration brings together two of the most experienced teams in ransomware defense to accelerate detection, enhance protection, and improve response capabilities for more than 300,000 organizations worldwide.

The collaboration between Sophos and Halcyon will exchange threat intelligence in real time, including indicators of compromise (IOCs), adversary behaviors, and attack patterns, to enhance ransomware prevention and accelerate response time.

Following Halcyon’s recent announcement of a community-focused Ransomware Research Center, this data-sharing initiative will inform defenses across both Sophos’ and Halcyon’s solutions.

It will benefit customers using Sophos Endpoint powered by Intercept X, as well as Sophos Managed Detection and Response (MDR), Sophos XDR, Halcyon’s Anti-Ransomware Platform, and other joint capabilities.

As part of the collaboration, Halcyon and Sophos will also implement mutual anti-tamper protections that allow each platform to monitor and safeguard the other’s agents in customer environments.

This helps ensure that organizations using both solutions benefit from added resilience, reducing the risk of ransomware interfering with security defenses and preserving the integrity of their overall protection strategy.

The threat intelligence collaboration is part of Sophos’ broader strategy to expand the reach and speed of its threat response through strategic partnerships.

Sophos X-Ops, the company’s cross-functional threat intelligence unit, will work closely with Halcyon’s research and engineering teams to share and operationalize ransomware-related insights across a wide array of attack surfaces.

“Ransomware tools and tactics are evolving constantly, and the best defense is timely, relevant intelligence that enables defenders to act quickly and with confidence,” said Simon Reed, chief research and scientific officer, Sophos. “By sharing insights with Halcyon, we’re improving signal fidelity and accelerating detection across our systems, which strengthens protection for all the organizations we serve.” 

“Halcyon is honored to partner with Sophos. Over the last four years, based on our telemetry, Sophos has time and time again proven to be one of the most effective endpoint security platforms we have encountered, reliably performing and disrupting attackers at a level that simply outperforms the majority of the players in the next-generation antivirus and endpoint detection and response (EDR) space. Their dedication to innovate and roll out industry-leading and unique features continues to put their customers at an everyday advantage over the most sophisticated attacks affecting enterprises today,” said Jon Miller, CEO and co-founder of Halcyon. 

Key benefits of the collaboration between Sophos and Halcyon include:

• Real-time ransomware intelligence: Sophos and Halcyon will share timely threat intelligence, including indicators of compromise (IOCs), attacker behaviors, and tools used in active ransomware campaigns. This intelligence supports earlier detection, broader visibility, and more informed responses.
• Strengthened defenses across products and services: Shared intelligence will enhance threat detection models, enrich contextual telemetry, and accelerate protection updates within each company’s solutions, including Sophos Central and Halcyon’s Anti-Ransomware Platform.
• Mutual anti-tamper protections: Each solution actively monitors the other’s agents to prevent tampering or disablement during ransomware attacks, helping ensure that security defenses remain intact and effective throughout an incident.

This collaboration highlights Sophos’ and Halcyon’s continued commitment to cybersecurity innovation, industry cooperation, and the mission to defeat cybercriminals. Together, Sophos and Halcyon are delivering the intelligence needed to stay one step ahead of attackers.

Rubrik, the cybersecurity company, and Sophos, a global leader of innovative security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, have announced a strategic partnership to provide Sophos M365 Backup and Recovery Powered by Rubrik.

This marks the first Managed Detection and Response (MDR)-optimized Microsoft 365 backup and recovery solution fully integrated into Sophos Central, Sophos’ security operations platform.

Designed to support IT and cybersecurity teams, the new offering will provide a unified global platform to enhance cyber resilience against ransomware, account compromise, insider threats, and data loss in SharePoint, Exchange, OneDrive, and Teams.

“We are reshaping what it means to stay operational in a world shaped by constant digital disruption,” said Joe Levy, CEO, Sophos. “This is the future of cyber resilience: an intelligent, adaptive partnership that ensures organizations remain secure, responsive, and uninterrupted. By combining Sophos’ prevention-first approach with Rubrik’s unwavering recovery capabilities, we empower businesses to withstand attacks and maintain continuity, even under pressure.”

Sophos will offer a powerful new add-on solution for its more than 75,000 MDR and XDR customers, enabling fast, secure recovery of critical Microsoft 365 data in the event of accidental deletion or malicious compromise.

This solution integrates Rubrik’s industry-leading SaaS-based protection directly into the trusted Sophos Central platform, giving organizations the flexibility to enhance their existing security operations with robust data recovery capabilities.

The Sophos Central platform integrates over 350 different telemetry sources across endpoint, cloud, network, identity, email and business applications. The platform leverages deep learning, custom LLMs, and frontier models to detect and respond to threats across the entire attack surface, enhancing defense effectiveness.

“The reality of today’s threat landscape demands a holistic approach to cyber resilience,” said Bipul Sinha, CEO, Chairman, and Co-founder of Rubrik. “With AI-enabled attacks and sophisticated breaches on the rise, organizations need more than just prevention; they need the ability to recover rapidly and reliably. Our partnership with Sophos delivers this critical capability directly within a platform security teams already use and trust, raising the bar for Microsoft 365 resilience.”

The Evolving Threat Landscape

According to The State of Ransomware report by Sophos, nearly half of organizations impacted by ransomware chose to pay the ransom to recover their data. Despite this, only 54% of affected companies relied on backups for data restoration, highlighting a continued gap in effective cyber resilience practices.

Recent research highlights the urgent need for robust Microsoft 365 data protection: 60% of Microsoft 365 tenants have experienced account takeovers, a frequent launchpad for lateral movement within an organization, and 81% have encountered email compromise.

When global admin credentials are compromised, attackers can manipulate retention settings and permanently delete critical business data.

Existing tools were not designed for comprehensive, large-scale recovery, which requires speed, granularity, and reliability for rapid restoration.

Sophos MDR and XDR customers will benefit from:

• Secure, immutable backups: Rubrik will isolate Microsoft 365 backups with air-gapped storage, WORM locks, and customer-held encryption keys. Multifactor authentication and data lock prevent tampering, even with compromised credentials.
• Fast, flexible recovery: Customers will be able to restore Microsoft 365 emails, OneDrives, SharePoint sites, Teams channels, and more to original or alternate users, including inactive accounts.
• Automated protection: Rubrik will automatically discover Microsoft 365 users, sites, and mailboxes, applies Entra ID-based policies, and supports delegated admin – all integrated with Sophos Central to reduce manual effort.
• Unified experience: Microsoft 365 protection and security operations will be managed via Sophos Central with no extra tools.

Rubrik and Sophos’ shared commitment to helping organizations operate with confidence in the face of risk, will provide Sophos customers and partners with a powerful solution to recover with speed and precision when threats inevitably break through.

This offering will be available through Sophos’ channel partner network in the coming months.

Consumers and businesses are constantly striving for the latest and greatest technology. However, behind the pursuit of cutting-edge devices lies a significant environmental toll – one that often goes unnoticed. The production of new technology requires vast amounts of natural resources, energy, and labour, contributing to both environmental degradation and significant carbon emissions.

With concerns about sustainability at an all-time high, companies are now looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact without compromising on performance or innovation. Refurbished tech, such as the solutions offered by Qrent, presents an effective, affordable, and eco-friendly alternative.

The refurbished computers and laptops market is set for remarkable expansion, driven by both cost-effectiveness and a growing commitment to sustainability. According to Credence Research, the market is projected to surge from USD 17,856.6 million in 2024 to USD 39,405 million by 2032, achieving a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.4% during the forecast period.

This growth underlines the increasing adoption of refurbished IT equipment by businesses, educational institutions, and individual consumers as they seek to balance performance with environmental responsibility. The rising trend not only helps organisations reduce capital expenditures but also supports circular economy initiatives by extending the lifecycle of electronic products

As businesses face increasing pressure to meet environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals, refurbished tech is fast becoming a preferred choice for companies looking to cut costs while reducing their carbon footprints.

At Qrent, businesses can access high-quality, refurbished IT equipment that meets the demands of modern enterprises while simultaneously supporting sustainability initiatives. The company provides a range of refurbished devices including computers, laptops, and servers, ensuring that businesses can operate efficiently while minimising their environmental impact.

These devices are thoroughly tested and restored to like-new condition, offering the same reliability and performance as their brand-new counterparts but with a fraction of the carbon footprint.

Refurbished tech and the circular economy

The transition to a circular economy – a system that emphasises reusing, recycling, and remanufacturing – has become a critical strategy in tackling the world’s waste crisis. The electronics industry is one of the largest contributors to this crisis, with e-waste being the fastest-growing waste stream globally.

By choosing refurbished technology from Qrent, businesses contribute directly to the circular economy. When companies choose to refurbish and extend the lifecycle of their IT devices, they prevent valuable resources from ending up in landfills and reduce the demand for new products, thereby conserving raw materials and decreasing pollution.

Qrent’s refurbishment process includes the responsible recycling of old components and ensures that all equipment is brought back to life in an eco-friendly manner. This not only helps in reducing waste but also plays a significant role in limiting the environmental impact of tech manufacturing.

Embracing circular economy strategies not only prolongs the lifespan of IT assets but also significantly cuts down the need for new manufacturing – thereby reducing carbon emissions. The 2024 Forrester Report on The Circular Economy & Sustainable Manufacturing reveals that a substantial share of firms are already reaping sustainability benefits: 38% have adopted innovative delivery and fulfilment options that minimise waste, 32% are improving waste management practices, and 28% are focusing on more efficient material sourcing.

By opting for refurbished technology, companies can leverage these practices to lower reliance on virgin materials and the high emissions associated with producing new devices, marking a crucial step toward a greener, more sustainable IT procurement model.

Attaining your sustainability goals

Qrent provides businesses with sustainable IT solutions. The company not only supplies refurbished technology but also offers a comprehensive range of services that include equipment leasing, IT asset management, and secure data destruction. Businesses can now gain access to a scalable solution that meets their IT needs while simultaneously supporting their ESG initiatives.

The company’s commitment to reducing e-waste is evident in its emphasis on responsible recycling and disposal practices. When companies dispose their old IT equipment with Qrent through their IT Asset Disposal Solution, they can be confident that their devices will be decommissioned properly and reused, ensuring that valuable materials like metals, plastics, and glass are recovered and re-entered into the manufacturing cycle.

This process prevents toxic substances from polluting the environment and ensures that e-waste is managed in a safe, responsible manner.