Re: HOSTS file???
From: Susan (Susan_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 11/29/04
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Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 07:29:03 -0800
Will - no, this is NOT more than I care to know...any info I can get from you
experts is most welcome! Thanks for enlightening me a little more!
"Will Mullaney" wrote:
> Susan, this may be more than you care to know but:
>
> There is a system called DNS that is responsible for translating the names
> of things like websites (such as www.microsoft.com) into an address such as
> 207.46.205.119. Think of it as directory service where you can call up and
> ask to be connected to someone by name instead of telephone number.
>
> A hosts file on the computer is sort of like a telephone book where one can
> enter a name and number combination and the computer should always use that
> combination. That means that if you added say your workplace's internet
> address, you would be able to get to their website even if the other
> service, DNS, wasn't working on your computer for some reason. You could
> also enter in a combination with a bogus number for a name, so you could
> redirect pop-up sites to some nonsense address perhaps, which means that the
> initial popup would still come up, but the ad would never actually be drawn
> in that window, and when you tried to close it you wouldn't get more pop-ups
> from closing it. Some people use stuff like this in addition or inplace of
> regular pop-up blocking etc.
>
> The problem is that if someone was to create a website that looked like say,
> fleet.com, and then use a virus to place an entry in a given person's HOSTS
> file that associated fleet.com with their website, when you the end user
> went to the website, you would think you were doing your actual banking, but
> you might actually be giving your credit card number or bank number to a
> totally different person.
>
> So it's possible that any entries already in your hosts file are legit, some
> software will add entries for various reasons; however, if you have a
> feeling that these entries weren't added by some pop-up blocking, anti-spam,
> or legitimate work related software, you should probably delete them,
> restart your computer, ensure they are not restored, and then mark the file
> as read-only.
>
> -Will
>
>
>
> "Susan" <Susan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:<989ADAC4-84F0-48D0-BB78-2FE417CEF30E@microsoft.com>...
>
> > Lanwench - thanks for the reply! However, I'm confused...I read the link
> you
>
> > provided, and if the HOSTS file is there to PREVENT your computer from
>
> > accessing a site on the list, would't you want to keep the entry there? OR
>
> > did I misinterpret the meaning of the article? And how would I delete the
>
> > entry? Should I boot into safe mode, then run Hijack This?
>
> >
>
>
>
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