What type of technology does Sophos use for its next-gen antivirus solutions?

Sophos employs behavioral analysis for its next-gen antivirus solutions, which is a critical technology that enhances its ability to detect and respond to threats effectively. Behavioral analysis focuses on monitoring the behavior of applications and files in real time, allowing Sophos to identify malicious activities as they occur rather than relying solely on known virus signatures or patterns.

This approach enables Sophos to detect previously unknown or zero-day threats by analyzing the actions of files and applications within their environment. By observing how a file behaves—such as attempting to access unauthorized data, modifying system settings, or communicating with suspicious external addresses—Sophos can determine whether it is acting maliciously.

In contrast, the other technologies mentioned do not provide the same level of proactive detection. Static analysis, for instance, examines code without execution and may miss threats that are designed to bypass detection through obfuscation or other techniques. Hardware decoding is not a standard method for threat detection in antivirus solutions and typically relates to media processing rather than security. Simple pattern matching relies on predefined signatures and is limited in scope, as it can only identify known threats and cannot adapt to new, evolving malware tactics.

Thus, the incorporation of behavioral analysis not only enhances threat detection capabilities but also aligns with the evolving landscape of cyber threats, making