What type of scan focuses on the techniques used in exploits rather than the specifics of malicious files?

The type of scan that focuses on the techniques used in exploits rather than the specifics of malicious files is the behavioral scan. This method analyzes the behavior of files and processes during execution rather than just identifying known signatures of malware. By assessing how software behaves—like trying to modify system files, establishing network connections, or accessing sensitive information—a behavioral scan can identify malicious activity even if the specific file has not been previously detected as a virus. This proactive approach allows for the detection of zero-day threats and other sophisticated attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in behaviors rather than relying solely on a database of known threats.

Other scanning types, such as machine learning scans, standard antivirus scans, and network scans, typically focus on identifying known patterns, signatures, or traffic anomalies rather than the underlying behavior that may indicate malicious intent. Machine learning scans may utilize behavioral indicators but are primarily based on trained models that predict malware based on patterns seen in previously analyzed data. Standard antivirus scans rely on a signature-based approach, and network scans analyze traffic which doesn’t specifically assess execution behavior of files or exploits.