How Reliable Are Sandbox Signatures Compared to Antivirus Detection?

November 4, 2025 2 answers
Asked by CuriousGiraffe29
I uploaded a file to VirusTotal that triggered 32 MITRE signatures, and the behavior tab indicates it's behaving suspiciously. However, none of the antivirus engines flagged it. How do the accuracy and reliability of sandbox analysis compare to traditional antivirus software?

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TechSavvySam
The signatures you see are based on what the sandbox observed while running the file. Antivirus software uses its own signature database and heuristics, which look for known patterns and behaviors. So, it's possible for a sandbox to highlight suspicious behavior without an antivirus marking the file as harmful. It doesnโ€™t necessarily confirm the file is maliciousโ€”it just means it showed behavior that resembles malware. Overall, if you're seeing those MITRE signatures, I'd recommend treating that file as suspicious and avoid running it!
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InfoSeeker42
Yeah, I agree with that! Sandboxes provide crucial insights about the behavior of a file but can sometimes detect things that antivirus software misses. It's like they focus on different aspects of potential threats. If you have any doubts about a file, better safe than sorryโ€”don't run it!
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