VirusTotal API
Anti-Malware
VirusTotal API is a security analysis platform that scans files, URLs, domains, and IP addresses against 70+ antivirus engines and threat intelligence databases in a single API call. Built by Google, VirusTotal aggregates results from industry-leading security vendors including Kaspersky, Bitdefender, McAfee, Sophos, and others to provide a comprehensive multi-engine threat verdict.
File and URL security scanning with 70+ antivirus engines
Free tier: 4 requests/minute, non-commercial use only. Critical limitation: ALL files uploaded via free API are shared with VirusTotal community and available to security researchers — do NOT upload proprietary, confidential, or sensitive company files. VirusTotal Intelligence subscription required for commercial use: Pricing starts at $500+/month depending on feature tier. Intelligence features: Higher rate limits (100+ req/min), enterprise scanning, custom yara rules, unlimited file downloads. Best for antivirus developers and security researchers.
Key Highlights
- Scans files and URLs against 70+ antivirus engines simultaneously — returning a consolidated verdict in a single API response
- Domain and IP reputation lookup identifies malicious infrastructure by querying historical threat intelligence and passive DNS data
- File behaviour reports from sandboxed execution show what a file actually does: network calls, file writes, registry changes
- Community-driven threat intelligence: 4 million+ security researchers contribute comments, votes, and threat indicators
- Free tier allows 4 requests/minute and is suitable for non-commercial research, security tooling, and educational projects
Required Access Documents
- API KeyRequiredFrom VirusTotal account
Use Cases
- Primary Use Case:Implement this API to solve core business problems and integrate essential functionality into your applications.
- Enterprise Integration:Integrate with enterprise systems to streamline workflows, automate processes, and improve operational efficiency.
- Scalable Infrastructure:Build scalable applications leveraging this API infrastructure handling growing user bases and transaction volumes.
- Data Analytics & Insights:Extract valuable insights from API data to inform business decisions and identify optimization opportunities.
- Automation & Compliance:Automate repetitive tasks, ensure regulatory compliance, and maintain detailed audit trails for governance.