File scan report
Verdict Safe
Is soft_
This DLL appears to be the widely used OpenAL Soft audio library, with no detections from 75 engines and thousands of submitters over nearly six years.
Read the whole reasonShow less
Strong evidence · Widely seen for a long time, and nothing harmful found.
This library is consistent with the common OpenAL Soft audio component and can be kept when it ships with a trusted application. Replace it only from the original software source if in doubt.
Good practice2 tips
We found nothing harmful in this file.
Use it only as part of a program you got from the developer's own website.
Keep your antivirus and Windows updates switched on.
No scanner can promise a file is 100% safe.
Reads the latest antivirus results for this file's hash. Nothing is uploaded.
Antivirus results
0 of 71 flagged
- Flagged 0
- No detection 71
- No result 4
- Code signing Unsigned
- Test run Completed
- First seen 5y ago
Chapter 02
Why we think so
2 points against it and 4 in its favour, checked against the scan evidence.
The reasoning behind this verdict
Its exported audio functions match the OpenAL Soft library bundled with many games, and nearly 3,000 distinct sources have submitted it since 2020. Sandbox activity showed no injection or other high-risk behaviour.
No engine, including all major antivirus engines such as Kaspersky, ESET and BitDefender, detected the file. It has been seen by 2,933 distinct submitters since November 2020, which fits a common redistributable component. The exported functions observed during execution are OpenAL Soft audio APIs, consistent with the file name. Matching YARA rules were only generic anti-debug and compiler patterns, and the file is not packed. No complete contacted-host reputation result was available.
What We Detected
None of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flagged this 64-bit DLL. It exports OpenAL Soft audio functions and has been submitted by 2,933 distinct sources since 2020. Only generic community YARA rules matched (debugger checks, TLS callbacks), which ordinary software also triggers. The file is not packed.
Threat Behavior
The sandbox runs loaded the library through rundll32 calling its audio exports. No process injection target, persistence or registry changes were recorded. One direct IP contact was seen, but no host-reputation result is available for it. Some technique labels were mapped without supporting artefacts and are typical of clean software.
What To Do Now
If this DLL came with a game or audio application, it is expected to be there. Obtain it only from the original application or the official OpenAL Soft project, and keep your security software enabled.
Where this verdict could be wrong3 caveats
- The library is unsigned, so its publisher cannot be confirmed from a signature.
- A sandbox run recorded one direct IP contact whose reputation was not checked.
- Two community annotations relay a third-party automated 'likely malicious' verdict based on generic anti-debug and rundll32 tags, which no antivirus engine corroborates.
These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.
- None of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flagged the file.
- Seen by nearly 3,000 distinct sources over almost six years.
- Exported functions match the OpenAL Soft audio library.
- Not packed; only generic YARA rules matched.
- The DLL is not digitally signed.
- One direct IP connection was observed without a completed reputation check.
6 sources checked · 5 complete · 1 partial. See every source
Chapter 03
What it did in our test
It ran in our isolated test environment; no test environment rated what it did as risky.
Test run summary
Capture complete- 16sandbox rule tags
- 14spawned processes
- 1network contact
- 2filesystem & mutex artifacts
Includes 16 mapped techniques, every process, file, registry and network entry and 3 dropped files.
Show the technical evidenceChapter 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 · 5 complete · 1 partial. Complete means the check returned a usable result; it does not mean the file is safe.
File fingerprint
- Last analyzed
- Jun 10, 2026, 1:31 PM UTC
- SHA-256
5a42440a18a75ce588659158d74d26ab1850eabd34f3b25abd969a56d871db42- SHA-1
2dd9130b6dd4c49864635b1b7cc4a93ebcdd5e17- MD5
ff08ba3a9dfe6bd0b26f9055094c9550
About this file
soft_oal.dll is a Win32 DLL file of 1.8 MB.
- Type and size
- Win32 DLL · 1.8 MB
- Signer
- UnsignedNo code signature.
- First seen
- Nov 5, 2020On VirusTotal.
- Submitted by
- 2,933 distinct sources
- Packer
- None detected
- Entropy
- 6.15 of 8
First scanned Updated
Verdict history
- Suspicious
- Safeafter a re-check of the saved evidence
Ratings change when antivirus engines, our checks or MalwareTips staff learn more about a file.
Includes every engine result (75), 6 matched signature rules, PE section entropy and packers and how widely the file has been seen.
Show the technical evidenceChapter 05
Questions & answers
Short answers to the 6 questions people ask most about this file.
Is soft_oal.dll safe?
What is soft_oal.dll?
How many antivirus engines detected soft_oal.dll?
What is the SHA-256 hash of soft_oal.dll?
Is it safe to use soft_oal.dll?
How up to date is this analysis of soft_oal.dll?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.