As you'll know from reading the software reviews on this column, I'm a big fan of VirusTotal. It's a service that lets you scan any file for malware, by uploading it from within your web browser to the VirusTotal servers. The system then checks the file against more than 50 different scanners, both free and commercial, and reports its findings. It's a great way to check out the installer for a program you've downloaded, before you take the plunge and run it.

VirusTotal also offers an uploader utility as a Windows program, and the beta release of version 2.2 is now available. It makes it really easy to add an extra layer of security to your PC. First, you can now right-click any file in Windows Explorer and submit it to VT for scrutiny. Secondly, if you run the program directly, it shows you the files representing the background processes currently running on your computer and allows you to submit any one of them for instant scanning. So again, if you are concerned about a background service or program on your computer and you aren't sure what it's doing, the VirusTotal uploader allows you to ensure that it is safe.  Read More