VirusTotal

VirusTotal is a cybersecurity platform founded in 2004 by Hispasec Sistemas and acquired by Google in 2012. It aggregates over 70 antivirus engines, URL/domain blocklisting services, and other threat intelligence feeds to analyze suspicious files and URLs submitted by users. The service accepts uploads of files up to 650 MB, and also allows scanning by URL or by providing a hash. Results are presented as a detection ratio, with detailed reports including file metadata, behavioral analysis, and community comments. VirusTotal's popularity stems from its ease of use, rapid scanning, and the breadth of engines it employs, making it a go-to tool for both novice users checking a single file and professional analysts conducting in-depth investigations. The platform also offers a public API, enabling automated scanning integrated into security workflows, sandbox environments, and email gateways. Over time, VirusTotal has evolved to include features such as YARA rule sharing, MITRE ATT&CK mapping, and the VirusTotal Graph for visualizing relationships between files, domains, and IPs. The community aspect allows users to comment and share insights, fostering collaborative threat analysis. VirusTotal is used by security researchers, SOC analysts, incident responders, and general internet users to validate the safety of files before opening or distributing them. Its database of scanned files serves as a rich source of threat intelligence, often referenced in security advisories and research papers. Despite its acquisition by Google, VirusTotal maintains a degree of independence and continues to be a key resource in the cybersecurity ecosystem.