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Verdict Safe

Analyzed , 1 day ago

Is openal32.dll safe? Yes, no threats found.

This OpenAL32.dll audio library has 0 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flagging it, matches a known-software reference entry, has been widely submitted since 2018, and…

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Strong evidence · Widely seen for a long time, and nothing harmful found.

Use it as usual if it came from the official source

No action is needed if this DLL came with the game or application that uses it. Keep your antivirus enabled as usual.

Good practice2 tips

We found nothing harmful in this file.

  1. Use it only as part of a program you got from the developer's own website.

  2. Keep your antivirus and Windows updates switched on.

No scanner can promise a file is 100% safe.

Why we think so

Share this file report

openal32.dll: Safe — MalwareTips file scan

The link always shows the latest result for this exact file (its SHA-256 fingerprint).

Antivirus results

0 of 71 flagged

  • Flagged 0
  • No detection 71
  • No result 4
Fileopenal32.dll998.9 kBSHA-256 14256d3228df…79e836
  • Code signing Unsigned
  • Test run Completed
  • First seen 8y ago
None of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag it.

Chapter 02

Why we think so

1 point against it and 4 in its favour, checked against the scan evidence.

MT AI Engine · Verdict analysis

The reasoning behind this verdict

Analyst conclusion

It matches a known-software reference entry for the game Northgard and was submitted by 1,142 sources since first seen on Oct 18, 2018. The combined sandbox verdict was clean.

Where this verdict could be wrong1 caveat
  • The file is unsigned, and a DLL named like a common audio library could in theory be a sideloading lure, but nothing in the evidence supports that.

These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.

6 sources checked · all complete. See every source

Chapter 03

What it did in our test

It ran in 4 isolated tests; no test environment rated what it did as risky.

Test run summary

Capture complete
  • 4isolated sandbox runs
  • 9sandbox rule tags
  • 1spawned processes
  • 1network contact
  • 1filesystem & mutex artifacts

Chapter 04

Technical details

None of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag it; no publisher signature.

Sources checked

Every check behind this verdict

6 sources checked · all complete. Complete means the check returned a usable result; it does not mean the file is safe.

SourceStatusResultChecked
Antivirus enginesVirusTotal · 75 enginesCompletePositive signal: 0 of 71 engines flagged it · 4 gave no result Details for antivirus engines
Sandbox runVirusTotal sandboxes · C2AE, CAPA, CAPE SandboxComplete4 runs: 1 clean, 3 without a verdict Details for sandbox run
Contacted hostsMalwareTips URL scannerComplete3 contacted hosts checked Details for contacted hosts
Signature rulesYARAify community rules + MalwareTips rulesComplete1 MalwareTips behaviour rule Details for signature rules
Malware sample databaseabuse.ch MalwareBazaarCompleteNot listed
Known-software referenceCIRCL hashlookupCompletePositive signal: Known software (Northgard)

File fingerprint

Last analyzed
Oct 24, 2026, 9:19 PM UTC
SHA-256
14256d3228dfa3af57011c723da1768575e013d126c5ef5c428ecaee1079e836
SHA-1
e4277ca2afd417d56f583f1a430e5ebea8b3bece
MD5
883083b84f2d080240954facc1769d80

About this file

openal32.dll is a Win32 DLL file of 998.9 kB.

Type and size
Win32 DLL · 998.9 kB
Signer
UnsignedNo code signature.
First seen
Oct 18, 2018On VirusTotal.
Submitted by
1,142 distinct sources
Packer
None detected
Entropy
6.81 of 8

First scanned

Chapter 05

Questions & answers

Short answers to the 6 questions people ask most about this file.

Is openal32.dll safe?
We found nothing harmful in openal32.dll. None of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag it. Use it only as part of a program you got from the developer's own website.
What is openal32.dll?
openal32.dll is a Windows library (DLL), about 998.9 kB. It carries no version information saying what it is or who made it. VirusTotal first saw it on Oct 18, 2018.
How many antivirus engines detected openal32.dll?
None of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag openal32.dll. That is a good sign, but not proof, so we also weigh who made it, how widely it is used and what it did in a test run.
What is the SHA-256 hash of openal32.dll?
The SHA-256 fingerprint of openal32.dll is 14256d3228dfa3af57011c723da1768575e013d126c5ef5c428ecaee1079e836, and its MD5 is 883083b84f2d080240954facc1769d80. Two files with the same SHA-256 are identical, so use it to check you have exactly this file, not just one with the same name.
Is it safe to use openal32.dll?
We found nothing harmful in openal32.dll. The main caveat is where you got it: attackers sometimes spread malware under the name of real software, so get it from the official website. If your own antivirus warns about it, check the source before you ignore the warning.
How up to date is this analysis of openal32.dll?
This report reflects the scan on Oct 24, 2026. A file's fingerprint never changes, but antivirus engines keep learning, so a rating can change later. To get a newer result, scan the file again: we refresh the antivirus results when the saved ones are out of date.
Chapter 06

Community

Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.

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This report and its SHA-256 fingerprint are public, so the next person who checks the same file gets an instant answer; documents and images are listed by type instead of their file name. A file we had not seen before is uploaded to VirusTotal, whose security partners and subscribers can download it; MalwareTips deletes its own copy after the scan. If you ran this file and are worried, scan your device with up-to-date security software.