What might indicate that an endpoint has not received recent policy updates from Sophos Central?

Recognizing that an endpoint is disconnected from Sophos Central is a strong indicator that it has not received recent policy updates. Sophos Central is the management platform that administers endpoint protection and policies. When an endpoint loses its connection, it can no longer communicate with the central management, meaning it cannot receive updates or policy changes necessary for effective protection against threats. This disconnection can occur for various reasons, such as network issues or configuration errors, and understanding this relationship is crucial for maintaining endpoint security.

While other factors like outdated software, slower performance, or error messages can provide hints of issues on the endpoint, they do not directly indicate the connection status with Sophos Central. An outdated software version might result from failure to receive updates, but it doesn’t confirm disconnection; it may just be a delay. Slower performance and frequent error messages can stem from multiple non-related causes, such as system resource overload or application conflicts, rather than specific updates or connection issues with Sophos Central.