When your AV puts a file or files into the virus vault that means that those programs can't be accessed by anything or access anything themselves. It won't even let you open/use the files unless you explicitly remove them from the vault. The only thing you can do to a file when it is in the vault is delete it.
This is why a lot of cracked programs asks you to turn off your AV so it doesn't move the keygen into the vault. It doesn't delete it, but it won't let you use it