Is fr.softonic.com safe?
https://fr.softonic.com/windows
Coveragestrong3 of 4 applicable core capabilities
Softonic has a clean current domain scan, but its download history warrants caution
This is a long-established software site whose domain currently shows no warning or scanner detection. However, historical complaints accuse Softonic of distributing malware, adware and viruses, software authors warned against downloading their work from it, and one Softonic-associated installer was detected as a potentially unwanted program. These conflicting signals support a Moderate Risk rating rather than treating the site as either presently malicious or fully safe.
Where this site sits
- Dangerous1–20
- High Risk21–44
- Moderate Risk45–69
- Low Risk70–84
- Safe85–100
The score combines saved evidence strength and analysis quality. Coverage is reported separately.
01 · Investigation Brief
Investigation Brief
This is a long-established software site whose domain currently shows no warning or scanner detection. However, historical complaints accuse Softonic of distributing malware, adware and viruses, software authors warned against downloading their work from it, and one Softonic-associated installer was detected as a potentially unwanted program. These conflicting signals support a Moderate Risk rating rather than treating the site as either presently malicious or fully safe.
Historical concerns focus on downloaded software
Published complaints accuse Softonic of spreading malware, advertising software and viruses. Separate historical reporting says many software authors warned users not to download their programs from Softonic.
A specific file named imagetopdf_softn.exe was detected as a potentially unwanted program by two anti-malware scanners. This supports caution around third-party installers, although the evidence does not establish that every current download is harmful.
Current domain-level checks found no active warning
The saved checks found a valid encrypted connection, no Safe Browsing warning, and zero malicious or suspicious detections across 93 engines. These are favorable technical signals for the domain itself, but they do not verify every downloadable file.
The registrable domain is 9,753 days old, so this is not a newly created domain. The site's contact details were not reviewed during this assessment.
Why the score is 58
2 independent sources carry complaints or warnings about this site, including: "Le site a été accusé de propager des logiciels malveillants, publicitaires et des virus". Coverage remains separate so missing sources cannot be mistaken for clean results.
02 · Security Evidence
Security evidence
Antivirus Engines
0/ 93
No detectionsFresh result
No detections across 59 engines that rated this URL
No antivirus engine that answered raised an adverse result; 34 had no rating for this URL. This is one signal, not a guarantee.
- Malicious
- 0
- Suspicious
- 0
- Total
- 93
All 93 engine results
- 0xSI_f33d - Unrated
- Abusix - Clean
- Acronis - Clean
- ADMINUSLabs - Clean
- AILabs (MONITORAPP) - Clean
- AlienVault - Clean
- alphaMountain.ai - Unrated
- AlphaSOC - Unrated
- Antiy-AVL - Clean
- ArcSight Threat Intelligence - Unrated
- AutoShun - Unrated
- Bfore.Ai PreCrime - Unrated
- BitDefender - Clean
- Bkav - Unrated
- BlockList - Clean
- Blueliv - Clean
- Certego - Clean
- ChainPatrol - Unrated
- Chong Lua Dao - Clean
- CINS Army - Clean
- CRDF - Clean
- Criminal IP - Unrated
- CSIS Security Group - Unrated
- CTX AI - Clean
- Cyan - Unrated
- Cyble - Clean
- CyRadar - Clean
- desenmascara.me - Clean
- DNS8 - Unrated
- Dr.Web - Clean
- EmergingThreats - Clean
- Emsisoft - Clean
- Ermes - Unrated
- ESET - Clean
- ESTsecurity - Clean
- Forcepoint ThreatSeeker - Clean
- Fortinet - Clean
- Fortra - Unrated
- G-Data - Clean
- GCP Abuse Intelligence - Unrated
- Google Safe Browsing - Clean
- GreenSnow - Clean
- GreyNoise - Unrated
- Gridinsoft - Clean
- Guardpot - Unrated
- Heimdal Security - Clean
- Hunt.io Intelligence - Unrated
- IPsum - Clean
- Juniper Networks - Clean
- K7AntiVirus - Unrated
- Kaspersky - Clean
- LevelBlue - Clean
- Lionic - Clean
- Lumu - Unrated
- Malwared - Clean
- MalwarePatrol - Clean
- MalwareURL - Unrated
- Mimecast - Unrated
- Netcraft - Unrated
- OpenPhish - Clean
- Orcapot - Unrated
- PhishFort - Unrated
- Phishing Database - Clean
- Phishtank - Clean
- PREBYTES - Clean
- PrecisionSec - Unrated
- Quick Heal - Clean
- Quttera - Clean
- Rising - Clean
- SafeToOpen - Unrated
- Sangfor - Clean
- Sansec eComscan - Unrated
- Scantitan - Clean
- SCUMWARE.org - Clean
- Seclookup - Clean
- Snort IP sample list - Unrated
- SOCRadar - Unrated
- Sophos - Clean
- StopForumSpam - Clean
- Sucuri SiteCheck - Clean
- Synthient - Unrated
- ThreatHive - Clean
- URLhaus - Clean
- URLQuery - Unrated
- Viettel Threat Intelligence - Clean
- VIPRE - Unrated
- ViriBack - Clean
- VX Vault - Clean
- Webroot - Clean
- Xcitium Verdict Cloud - Clean
- Yandex Safebrowsing - Clean
- ZeroCERT - Clean
- ZeroFox - Unrated
Security Scans
Checked against the browser threat feeds available to this scan — no hit.
03 · Investigation Story
Investigation story
What the site claims
Client Challenge
What we observed
The page content was captured and checked alongside 59 antivirus results.
What independent research found
3 external findings were saved and compared with the page evidence.
What remains unverified
1 of the 4 applicable core capabilities did not complete, so those gaps remain visible in the coverage ledger.
What kind of site and risk is this?
Threat category
Malware & Deceptive Downloads
Service and business model
Content
Observed behavior
Evidence behind this classification
- 012 independent sources carry complaints or warnings about this site, including: "Le site a été accusé de propager des logiciels malveillants, publicitaires et des virus"
- 022 independent sources carry complaints or warnings about this site, including: "The application imagetopdf_softn.exe, “Image To PDF Setup ” has been detected as a potentially unwanted program by 2 anti-malware scanners."
- 03The registrable domain is 9,753 days old.
Web research findings
Independent findings for fr.softonic.com, including public complaints, named review sources, registration records, and look-alike-domain evidence. A missing result is shown as unverified, never converted into a clean bill of health.
- Wikipediaopen
"Le site a été accusé de propager des logiciels malveillants, publicitaires et des virus"
- Wikipediaopen
"De nombreux auteurs de logiciels mettent alors en garde les utilisateurs contre le téléchargement de leurs œuvres depuis le site de Softonic"
- herdProtectopen
"The application imagetopdf_softn.exe, “Image To PDF Setup ” has been detected as a potentially unwanted program by 2 anti-malware scanners."
Reputation Sources
How this domain rates across independent threat-intelligence and blocklist providers.
04 · Domain & Infrastructure
Domain & infrastructure
The plumbing behind the site — who registered it, how it’s encrypted, where it’s hosted, and where it links out. A valid certificate or a calm server doesn’t mean the business is honest — scam sites pass these checks too. Use this to corroborate the verdict, not to overturn it.
Infrastructure map
How the saved page connected to the wider web.
- Domainfr.softonic.com
- Redirects tofr.softonic.com
- Hosted byFastly, Inc.
Domain Timeline
- Jan 28, 2000Domain registered
First appeared in WHOIS records — 26 years old when this review was saved.
- Oct 12, 2026Saved security review — Rated Moderate Risk
The evidence in this saved scan is mixed or incomplete; the completed checks are detailed above.
Contact Verification
Saved contact details can help identify the operator. Their presence supports traceability; it does not prove the business is trustworthy.
Domain & Encryption
Server Reputation
05 · Evidence Ledger
Evidence ledger
- Antiviruscomplete
- Browser threat feedcomplete
- Page contentpartial
- Analysiscomplete
- Visual evidenceunavailable
The conclusion is supported by the evidence saved with this report.
Technical threat
unknownMalware, phishing, credential theft and hostile infrastructure.
The site's contact details were not reviewed.
Operator / customer risk
suspiciousComplaints, withdrawals, business conduct and commercial traps.
2 independent sources carry complaints or warnings about this site, including: "Le site a été accusé de propager des logiciels malveillants, publicitaires et des virus" · 2 independent sources carry complaints or warnings about this site, including: "The application imagetopdf_softn.exe, “Image To PDF Setup ” has been detected as a potentially unwanted program by 2 anti-malware scanners."
Source coverage and freshness
Status shows whether usable evidence was saved; finding shows what that evidence observed.
| Source | Result | Completion | Finding | Freshness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antivirus | 0 of 93 engines flagged | Completed | No adverse finding | fresh · analysed Oct 12, 2026 |
| Browser protection | No browser threat-list match | Completed | No adverse finding | this scan · Oct 12, 2026 |
| Page content | Page fetched · HTTP 200 | Limited | No saved finding | this scan · Oct 12, 2026 |
| Visual evidence | The saved page capture was not reliable enough to use | Unavailable | No saved finding | Not available |
| Independent research | 3 independent findings were saved | Completed | Adverse | this scan · Oct 12, 2026 |
- Antivirus
- Result0 of 93 engines flagged
- CompletionCompleted
- FindingNo adverse finding
- Freshnessfresh · analysed Oct 12, 2026
- Browser protection
- ResultNo browser threat-list match
- CompletionCompleted
- FindingNo adverse finding
- Freshnessthis scan · Oct 12, 2026
- Page content
- ResultPage fetched · HTTP 200
- CompletionLimited
- FindingNo saved finding
- Freshnessthis scan · Oct 12, 2026
- Visual evidence
- ResultThe saved page capture was not reliable enough to use
- CompletionUnavailable
- FindingNo saved finding
- FreshnessNot available
- Independent research
- Result3 independent findings were saved
- CompletionCompleted
- FindingAdverse
- Freshnessthis scan · Oct 12, 2026
07 · Safety FAQ
Safety FAQ
Common questions, answered directly from the scan data above — so the answers reflect the saved verdict and evidence in this report.
Is fr.softonic.com a scam or is it safe?
Is fr.softonic.com safe to use?
Has fr.softonic.com been flagged by antivirus engines?
Is fr.softonic.com on any phishing or malware blacklists?
How old is the fr.softonic.com domain?
Does fr.softonic.com have a valid SSL certificate?
Where is fr.softonic.com hosted?
How often is the fr.softonic.com report updated?
08 · Final Verdict
Final verdict
Softonic has a clean current domain scan, but its download history warrants caution
The written conclusion remains part of the saved report.
This is a long-established software site whose domain currently shows no warning or scanner detection. However, historical complaints accuse Softonic of distributing malware, adware and viruses, software authors warned against downloading their work from it, and one Softonic-associated installer was detected as a potentially unwanted program. These conflicting signals support a Moderate Risk rating rather than treating the site as either presently malicious or fully safe.
09 · Community