Which type of scanner flags unusual activities as potential threats?

Anomaly-based scanners are designed to identify unusual patterns or behaviors that deviate from the established norms for system or network activities. This approach focuses on monitoring and analyzing behaviors rather than relying on known threats. By establishing a baseline of what is considered "normal" behavior, these scanners can effectively flag activities that are abnormal, thereby identifying potential threats that may not be recognized through traditional means.

For instance, if a user typically accesses certain files at specific times and suddenly attempts access at an unusual hour or tries to access files that are not part of their usual activity, an anomaly-based scanner would flag this as a potential threat. This capability is particularly valuable for detecting zero-day vulnerabilities or new malware that has not yet been documented, allowing for proactive security measures rather than reactive ones.

In contrast, signature-based scanners rely on a database of known threat signatures to identify malicious activity, making them effective but limited to only recognized threats. Heuristic-based scanners focus on behavior analysis but are often less specific than anomaly-based systems. Hybrid scanners combine various techniques but may not solely focus on identifying unusual activities. Thus, the strength of an anomaly-based scanner lies in its ability to flag unusual behavior as a potential threat, facilitating early detection and response to security incidents.