Which analysis method relies on actions from previously known malicious files, and alerts when similar characteristics are detected?

The method that relies on actions from previously known malicious files and alerts when similar characteristics are detected is signature-based analysis. This technique involves creating a database of existing known malware signatures, which consists of specific patterns, bytes, or attributes that are characteristic of these files. When a file is scanned, the analysis tools compare the file against this database to identify any matches.

Signature-based analysis is highly effective for detecting known threats quickly and accurately because it relies on well-defined characteristics of malicious software. This approach allows for efficient threat identification and is widely used in antivirus software and intrusion detection systems.

In contrast, behavioral analysis observes the actions of files and programs in real-time to identify suspicious behavior, regardless of whether the specific malware signature is known. Heuristic analysis employs rules and algorithms to identify characteristics of malware based on their behavior or structure rather than direct matches to known signatures. Statistical anomaly detection focuses on identifying deviations from normal behavior based on statistical models, which can help uncover previously unknown threats but does not directly rely on known malicious actions.