ip addresses in hosts file redirected?

[steelersteve]

everytime i immnunize and add the spybot host file list i get a warning on my norton online security telling me the ip addresses in my hosts file have been redirected leaving me two options...either fix or ignore
could some one tell me why i am getting this message
should i fix the issue or ignore?
t.i.a.

[md usa spybot fan]

steelersteve:


everytime i immnunize and add the spybot host file list i get a warning on my norton online security telling me ...
Assuming that you are running Spybot 1.5 or above, the immunization facility within Spybot immunizes the "Windows - Global (Hosts)" profile. That facility adds entries to your system's HOSTS file equating known bad domain names to an IP Address of 127.0.0.1 which is your system. By equating domain names such as "www. teensexfans.com" to the IP Address of your system (127.0.0.1), Spybot prevents the accidental access of malicious sites and in the case I cited, exploitive sites.

If "Norton Online Security" is issuing warnings during Spybot's immunization of the process of the system's HOSTS file, I can assure you that "Norton Online Security" is misinterpreting the nature and intent of those entries being added.


... should i fix the issue or ignore? ...
Given the option within "Norton Online Security", I would "ignore" the issue and allow Spybot to add the protection in your HOSTS file.

[xerxes]

Norton is simply doing its job, which is to warn that an important system file is being changed. Of course, in this instance, it is perfectly safe and indeed desirable to allow the change.

I'm not familiar with this Norton product, but it may well be that it has a facility which will allow you to configure it to allow certain programs to change certain files - many firewalls have this feature. This would prevent you getting similar messages in the future.