In a move that could beef up protection for its Internet services, internet major Google Inc has acquired startup VirusTotal, a cybersecurity player for an undisclosed amount.

VirusTotal was set up in 2007 and uses over 40 different antivirus engines to scan files and URLs for malware for free. Users can upload small files for checking, or just input a URL, to see if it’s on a blacklist, and VirusTotal shares its results with other security vendors to allow them to beef up their defenses.

Announcing the acquisition in a blog-post company said it will continue to operate independently, maintaining our partnerships with other antivirus companies and security experts.

The search giant may improve its existing security services using VirusTotal’s data, so it make sense for Google to keep the service alive and let its dataset grow.

VirusTotal also offers desktop application and browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer.

Security is incredibly important to our users and we’ve invested many millions of dollars to help keep them safe online,” a Google spokeswoman said.  “VirusTotal also has a strong track record in web security, and we’re delighted to be able to provide them with the infrastructure they need to ensure that their service continues to improve.

With the acquisition of VirusTotal, Google not only wants to breakthrough in new market but at the same time would like to consolidate its current product portfolios.