Google acquires VirusTotal, but plans to keep it independent
Google has acquired VirusTotal, a free web service that inspects suspicious files against the most commonly deployed anti-virus solutions.
Founded in 2004, the service also allows users to input suspect URLs to scan websites for malware threats. According to an announcement on VirusTotal's website, the company is a longtime partner of Google.
The Google spokeswoman declined to comment on how the company plans to use VirusTotal, but Tuchen suggested the technology could be integrated into Google's array of web offerings, including its search engine, Chrome browser, as well as Gmail virus detection.