What is the primary difference between behavioral analysis and signature-based detection?

The primary difference lies in how each approach detects threats. Behavioral analysis focuses on identifying anomalies or deviations from established norms and baselines within user or system behavior. This means that it can identify potentially malicious activities based on unusual patterns, regardless of whether those activities are linked to known threats.

In contrast, signature-based detection relies on predefined signatures, which are specific patterns associated with known threats. This method is effective at detecting threats that have already been identified and cataloged but may struggle against new or unknown threats, such as zero-day attacks, that do not have existing signatures.

By understanding this distinction, one can appreciate that behavioral analysis offers a broader scope for detection by capturing new, emerging threats, while signature-based detection is limited to recognizing threats that have been previously analyzed and documented.