VirusTotal: A Free Online Tool for Detecting Malware

VirusTotal is a free online service that analyzes suspicious files and URLs to detect types of malware and malicious content. It does this by submitting the file or URL to over 70 antivirus engines and website scanners. The results of the scan are then displayed in a report that shows the verdict of each engine, as well as other information such as the file’s size, type, and hash.

VirusTotal is a website created by the Spanish security company Hispasec Sistemas. Launched in June 2004, it was acquired by Google in September 2012. The company’s ownership switched in January 2018 to Chronicle, a subsidiary of Google.

VirusTotal is a valuable tool for businesses and individuals who want to protect themselves from malware. It can be used to scan files before opening them, to check links before clicking on them, and to investigate suspicious emails. VirusTotal can also be used to research malware and to track its spread.

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How VirusTotal Works

VirusTotal works by submitting the file or URL to over 70 antivirus engines and website scanners. These engines and scanners scan the file or URL for known malware signatures. If a signature is found, the engine or scanner will report the file or URL as malicious.

In addition to scanning for known malware signatures, VirusTotal also uses a variety of other techniques to detect malware. These techniques include:

• Heuristic analysis: This involves looking for patterns in the file or URL that are indicative of malware.
• File reputation: This involves checking the file or URL against a database of known malicious files and URLs.
• Behavior analysis: This involves monitoring the file or URL for suspicious activity.

VirusTotal Features

VirusTotal offers a variety of features that make it a valuable tool for detecting malware. These features include:

• File scanning: VirusTotal can scan files of any type, including executables, documents, and archives.
• URL scanning: VirusTotal can scan URLs to check for malicious content.
• API: VirusTotal offers an API that allows users to integrate its services into their own applications.
• Community: VirusTotal has a large and active community of users who share information about malware and threats.

How to Use VirusTotal

To use VirusTotal, simply upload the file or URL to the website. VirusTotal will then scan the file or URL and display the results in a report. The report will show the verdict of each engine, as well as other information such as the file’s size, type, and hash.

VirusTotal can also be used to investigate suspicious emails. To do this, simply copy the link from the email and paste it into the VirusTotal search bar. VirusTotal will then scan the link and display the results in a report.

Benefits of Using VirusTotal

There are many benefits to using VirusTotal. These benefits include:

•  Free: VirusTotal is a free service.
• Comprehensive: VirusTotal scans files and URLs with over 70 antivirus engines and website scanners.
• Up-to-date: VirusTotal’s engines are regularly updated with the latest malware signatures.
• Accurate: VirusTotal has a high accuracy rate for detecting malware.
• Trusted: VirusTotal is a trusted resource for information about malware.

Conclusion

VirusTotal is a valuable tool for detecting malware. It is free, comprehensive, up-to-date, accurate, and trusted. VirusTotal can be used by businesses and individuals to protect themselves from malware. It can also be used to research malware and to track its spread.

If you are looking for a way to protect yourself from malware, then VirusTotal is a great option. It is a free and easy-to-use service that can help you to keep your computer safe.

Here are some additional tips for using VirusTotal:

•  When scanning a file, make sure to select the correct file type. This will help to ensure that the file is scanned by the most relevant antivirus engines.
• If you are scanning a URL, make sure to include the entire URL. This will help to ensure that the URL is scanned by all of the relevant website scanners.
• Pay attention to the verdicts of the antivirus engines. If a file or URL is scanned by multiple engines and all of the engines report it as malicious, then it is likely to be malware.
• Use the VirusTotal community to research malware. The community has a wealth of information about malware, including how to detect and remove it.

By following these tips, you can use VirusTotal to effectively detect malware and protect your computer from harm.

Resources:

• VirusTotal Official Website