Spot-Check Suspicious Files with VirusTotal

Did a strange file attachment just land in your inbox? Or maybe you downloaded some software and don't want to run it without being absolutely positive it's virus-free. Enter VirusTotal.com, a free service that employs nearly three dozen anti-virus scanners to spot-check individual files.

All you do is upload the file to the site or e-mail it to scan@virustotal.com (using "scan" as the subject line). Wait a few minutes and you'll get a report indicating whether any infections were found. (The site doesn't eliminate viruses, it just detects them.) There's no promise or guarantee that VirusTotal will detect all viruses, but you know the old saying: 32 virus checkers are better than one. If you're the least bit concerned about a file, let this service give it the once-over.