A Program wants to change your hosts file

[bobbyc]

I have Spybot 1.5.2.20 . When I Update, and then Immunize the 2nd time, Online Armor Firewall pops up with a window that asks me if I want to allow or block the following :

"A Program wants to change your hosts file"

" Set www.add-hhh.inof to 127.0.0.1
Each time you type www.add-hhh.info into your web browser, it will be redirected to the computer with the internet

address 127.0.0.1

This computer is located in Localhost "

Question # 1 :
I have blocked whatever has come up the last 5 times or so, and I am not sure if I am doing something right or wrong ?

Question # 2 :
I have gone into Online Armor > Options, and have unchecked the box which "Track changes made to the hosts file", and then gone back and Immunized Spybot once again. I noticed that once I recheck the above box, instead of zero, 166 shows up in the unprtoected Global Hosts column ?

[md usa spybot fan]

bobbyc:

When you immunize the "Profile" listed under "Windows" as "Global (Hosts)", Spybot adds entries to the Windows HOSTS file equating known malicious domain names to an IP address of 127.0.0.1. Since IP address 127.0.0.1 is the "localhost" (your system) this blocks any internet access to those malicious domain names. For more on the subject see: Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File (http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm).

Online Armor is reacting to changes to the Windows HOSTS file without analyzing that those changes are in fact equating known malicious domain names to an IP address of 127.0.0.1. If want this protection, you should just permanently allow Spybot to make changes to the HOSTS file within Online Armor. If you do not want this protection, uncheck the "Windows" "Global (Hosts)" item before immunizing.

[bobbyc]

MD : I wrote mike nash of Online Armor. He suggested that I allow all hosts and then immunize them in Spybot.

I had 166 unprotected hosts showing with Spybot, and when I checked my OA hosts files, there were 166 blocked.

I've read a bit about hosts files from the sites you and mike linked. I don't understand it all, but I do appreciate your help.

Thanks, MD

I don't know if this is a blue M&M angel, but I couldn't resist trying him out :angel: