Sophos has announced Workspace Protection, a new security suite focused on hybrid and remote working and the governance of employee use of web applications and AI tools.
The company positioned this product as an alternative to more complex Secure Access Service Edge and Security Service Edge deployments. It is centered around a managed browser and is integrated with Sophos Central, the company’s cloud management platform.
browser focus
Workspace Protection is built around Sophos Protected Browser, a Chromium-based browser powered by Island. Sophos said the product targets risks arising from browser-driven work patterns and the increasing use of software-as-a-service applications.
Sophos said the suite provides “workspace-level” visibility into application usage and data processing. The company said it can enforce policies within the browser. It also said it can manage access to web applications and control local data processing and web filtering.
Workspace Protection also includes other components sold by Sophos. These include Sophos ZTNA, Sophos DNS Protection, and email monitoring system add-ons for Microsoft and Google email services.
Sophos Protected Browser integrates Sophos ZTNA for access to private web applications, Sophos says. The company also said the browser supports SSH and RDP access for remote management.
Sophos ZTNA is a Zero Trust network access component. Sophos said it provides “posture-based” access to private applications. The company said it limits connectivity to authorized users and compliant devices and prevents applications from accessing the public internet.
Sophos DNS Protection is a cloud-delivered DNS security service that customers can deploy to their Windows endpoints as part of a suite, Sophos said. The company says it blocks malicious and unwanted domains.
According to Sophos, the Email Monitoring System add-on monitors email traffic alongside Microsoft or Google email services. The company says this allows it to detect unwanted or malicious messages, such as phishing.
Shadow AI
Sophos has put shadow IT and shadow AI governance at the heart of its launch. The company says many organizations struggle to understand which AI tools their employees use and what data goes into those services.
Sophos cited research showing that more than half of employees worldwide use AI tools in the workplace, often before formal policies are established. Workspace Protection says it provides visibility and control at the workspace level. It said this will support risk assessment and policy enforcement of emerging technologies, including generative AI.
Sophos says the suite also targets phishing and browser-based threats. In modern work environments that rely on web applications and remote access, attacks targeting users are on the rise.
Operational approach
Sophos has also built its product around simplicity of operation. It criticized approaches that rely on multiple services and centralized infrastructure provided in the cloud. Sophos said these models require extensive infrastructure, expertise and ongoing overhead.
The company says Workspace Protection directly protects workspaces. This avoids “backhauling” traffic through central infrastructure, the company said. Sophos said this model reduces costs and operational burden. No matter where a user works, protection will be tailored to the user, their applications, and their internet usage, he said.
IDC Research Director Mike Jude tied the announcement to broader security team pressures around complexity.
Jude said, “Security teams are increasingly being impacted by complexity, especially as hybrid work, SaaS deployments, and AI tools continue to expand the workspace.”
“Sophos Workspace Protection reflects a pragmatic shift in the core SASE and SSE outcomes we deliver to the market through a unified endpoint- and browser-centric approach. This simplifies deployment, reduces operational overhead, and empowers organizations to manage application and AI usage without adding additional layers of infrastructure.”
Sophos CEO Joe Levy said the company believes the current work environment requires stronger application and data governance.
“Sophos has long protected remote and hybrid workers with industry-leading endpoint and network security, but today’s work environment demands stronger governance of apps and data,” said Levy.
He continued, “Many SASE and SSE solutions increase complexity and operational overhead while leaving gaps in visibility and control. By combining Island’s enterprise browser technology with Sophos’ security capabilities and the Sophos Central platform, we are helping organizations manage the use of AI, protect critical data, and secure a hybrid workforce with an easy-to-deploy and easy-to-manage solution.”
Mike Fey, co-founder and CEO of Island, said browsers are central to enforcing access and data controls in daily business operations.
“Hybrid working shouldn’t mean a trade-off between security and productivity,” Fay said. “Island protects data, secures application access, and enables organizations to securely deploy AI through the browsers people already use. Integration with the Sophos Central platform allows our customers to do this with less complexity and more confidence.”
Sophos says customers and partners will have access to Workspace Protection starting in February 2026.
