What can be addressed when using retrospective security techniques?

Retrospective security, as implemented in solutions like Cisco AMP for Endpoints, continuously tracks file activity and can re-classify files previously deemed benign once new threat intelligence is available. This capability directly addresses why malware remains active in a network by revealing how it persisted undetected over time and which systems continue to execute it.

Determining whether a host needs a software update is a vulnerability management or patch management function, not the purpose of retrospective threat analysis.

Identifying the precise origin of malware is primarily a forensic investigation task - retrospective security focuses on detecting ongoing or past undetected infections rather than attributing initial entry points.

Deciding whether to replace an affected system is a business continuity or incident response decision that falls outside the scope of retrospective security analysis.