Why is the ability to identify malicious files that have not been encountered before important for security?

Identifying malicious files that have not been encountered before is crucial for security because it significantly improves adaptability to new threats. Cyber attackers continuously evolve their tactics, techniques, and procedures, often creating new types of malware that traditional security measures may not recognize. By being able to detect and analyze these unknown malicious files, security systems can adapt more rapidly to new and emerging threats, allowing organizations to stay one step ahead of cyber adversaries.

This adaptability ensures that even if a new threat emerges that has never been seen before, systems can still identify it based on behavioral patterns, heuristics, or machine learning algorithms, rather than solely relying on known signatures. Consequently, this proactive approach enhances an organization's overall security posture and resilience against the ever-changing landscape of cyber threats.