VirusTotal is a service that analyses suspicious files and facilitates the quick detection of viruses, worms, Trojans, and all kinds of malware detected by antivirus engines.
VirusTotal has been awarded by American edition of PC World Magazine, one of the 100 best products of year 2007 in the Security Web Site category.
VirusTotal is a service developed by Hispasec Sistemas, an independent IT Security laboratory, that uses several command line versions of antivirus engines, updated regulary with official signature files published by their respective developers.
This is a list of the companies that participate in VirusTotal with their antivirus engines.
- AhnLab (V3)
- Aladdin (eSafe)
- ALWIL (Avast! Antivirus)
- Authentium (Command Antivirus)
- Avira (AntiVir)
- Bit9 (FileAdvisor)
- Cat Computer Services (Quick Heal)
- ClamAV (ClamAV)
- CA Inc. (Vet)
- Doctor Web, Ltd. (DrWeb)
- Eset Software (ESET NOD32)
- ewido networks (ewido anti-malware)
- Fortinet (Fortinet)
- FRISK Software (F-Prot)
- F-Secure (F-Secure)
- Grisoft (AVG)
- Hacksoft (The Hacker)
- Ikarus Software (Ikarus)
- Kaspersky Lab (AVP)
- McAfee (VirusScan)
- Microsoft (Malware Protection)
- Norman (Norman Antivirus)
- Panda Software (Panda Platinum)
- Prevx (Prevx1)
- Rising Antivirus (Rising)
- Secure Computing (Webwasher)
- Softwin (BitDefender)
- Sophos (SAV)
- Sunbelt Software (Antivirus)
- Symantec (Norton Antivirus)
- VirusBlokAda (VBA32)
- VirusBuster (VirusBuster)
So whenever you receive an email or download a file you’re not 100% sure is safe (even after your local AV software says it is), then this on-line antivirus service from VirusTotal might be just what you are looking for.
About Author
I find it ridiculous that many PC owners prefer installing all kinds of trials and demos and “free scan†of programs, and what’s worse – they’re advised to install as many security programs as possible. In my experience, a web scanner sometimes if a better choice. It’s easy to try a dozen of virus scanners, and in many cases they really help to remove malware.
But of course none of these services provide real-time protection. They’re mostly for additional testing and energency cases.
i am only using free virus scanners like avast and avira but they seem to be great tools though*;,
i always use free virus scanners on the internet coz they are quite good too,`;
for me, the best scanner is avast antivirus and kaspersky. they can really find those annoying malwares,”‘
i use both Avast and AVG virus scanner because they are very good ;’.