Sophos has released a new version of its security tool aimed at small and medium sized businesses.

Sophos Security Suite Small Business Edition 4.0 (PDF) offers a wide range of functions, according to the firm, and will give smaller organisations the sort of protection usually enjoyed by large enterprises.

New features include support for Microsoft's Windows 7 and Apple's Snow Leopard.

"A top concern for small businesses is how to protect their systems and confidential information without hammering open the piggy bank or hiring a small army of security gurus," said Artur Kocharyan, product manager for small business solutions at Sophos.

"Small businesses can be devastated by an infection or data breach, and the concern is that many are ignoring the risks rather than dealing with them head on.

"We have listened to our customers, and have not only introduced new technologies to mitigate against data loss, but radically simplified the installation and management."

The software now includes Sophos' SafeGuard encryption and application control tools, along with anti-virus, anti-spyware and anti-spam solutions, and a desktop firewall.

Sophos said that the dashboard controls will allow IT departments and administrators to set limits on individuals' access to applications, while also blacklisting and whitelisting the installation and use of software such as games, instant messaging clients and VoIP applications.

Existing customers can upgrade to the latest version free of charge.