If y'all're concerned a file might exist malicious, you don't need to download it and rely on your antivirus. You lot can scan the file for malware with over lx antivirus engines before you lot download it—all with one single tool.

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This is no substitute for basic online security practices that tin can keep you safe from phishing and other threats, only it's a way to perform a more in-depth check if yous're concerned about a file.

Scan a Link For Malware Using VirusTotal

To do this, you'll need to locate a file'south download link. That's the direct link to download the file, non but the address of the file'due south download page. For example, if y'all want to scan a .exe file, you'll need the direct link to the .exe file. If you want to scan a .medico file, y'all'll need the direct link to the .doc file. You lot can spot this by mousing over the link and looking at the address in your browser.

Right-click the link and select "Copy link accost" in Chrome, "Copy Link Location" in Firefox, or "Copy link" in Edge.

Next, caput to VirusTotal.com in your web browser. This tool has been owned past Google since 2012.

Click the "URL" tab on the folio and and so paste the link you copied into the box. Click the search button or press Enter to scan the file.

VirusTotal volition download the file you specified to its servers and browse it with a big number of different antivirus engines. If other people take recently scanned the file, VirusTotal will testify you the recent scan results.

If yous see "No engines detected this URL", that ways that none of VirusTotal'due south antivirus engines said there was a problem with the file.

The "0/65" means the file was detected every bit malicious past 0 of VirusTotal'south 65 antivirus engines. This means information technology should be clean. Of course, it's possible that new and exotic malware may not be detected past whatsoever antivirus programs nonetheless, so it's always a good idea to be careful and only become software from sources you lot trust. (In fact, not two days afterward publishing this article, our example file—CCleaner 5.33—was found to contain malware. A perfect case of how VirusTotal, while useful, isn't perfect!)

If 1 of the antivirus engines detects a problem with a file, you'll come across a note saying that a number of antivirus engines detected the URL as a problem.

In some cases, the opinion may exist near unanimous. In other cases, only a few antivirus tools may have a problem with the file. This is frequently a faux positive, though in certain circumstances it could exist that some antivirus tools have spotted new malware before others. You tin scroll down to see which antivirus tools had a problem with the file, view more details near the file, and see community comments most whether the URL is prophylactic or not. (In some cases, for example, it may merely be flagged for including bundled crapware, which is easily bypassable.)

If you end up scanning a file download page instead of the downloaded file itself, you'll see a "Downloaded file" link on the VirusTotal page. Click the icon to the right of "Downloaded file" to come across more assay virtually the file that web folio downloads.

Integrate VirusTotal Into Your Browser

To make this process easier, the VirusTotal projection offers browser extensions. These will integrate VirusTotal into your browser, assuasive you to correct-click a link on any web page and select a "Scan with VirusTotal" selection. You won't have to visit the VirusTotal website and copy-paste a link.

Extensions are available for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer. Download the appropriate extension and you tin can right-click a link and select the VirusTotal selection to chop-chop scan it and see the results.

If VirusTotal is unanimous that a file is dangerous, y'all should stay abroad. If the results are mixed, y'all should be conscientious, but you lot may desire to examine the more detailed antivirus results to see why they say the file is dangerous.

If a file is make clean, that ways it's not detected by any antiviruses equally malware. That doesn't hateful information technology's safe, of course—antivirus software isn't perfect and may not detect new malware, so ensure you're getting your programs from a trusted source.

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