How does heuristics detection identify potential threats?

Heuristic detection is a technique used in cybersecurity to identify potential threats by analyzing the behavior of software and programs. Rather than relying solely on a database of known viruses, heuristic detection evaluates patterns and behaviors that are characteristic of malicious activities. It looks for anomalies or behaviors that deviate from the norm, which could indicate that an application is behaving like malware, even if it hasn't been previously identified.

This method is particularly effective because it can detect new and unknown threats that have not yet been classified or added to virus definition databases. By analyzing how a program interacts with the system and monitoring its actions, heuristic detection can flag suspicious activity that could signify an impending security risk.

In contrast, other options focus on different approaches: scanning for known viruses relies on signature-based detection, which only identifies threats already recognized and cataloged. Checking software updates and tracking system resource usage do not directly contribute to detecting potential threats by behavior analysis, thus making heuristic monitoring the best fit for identifying malware-like activity.