Conflict with HOSTS secure

[besafe]

I use the MVPS hosts file. I have a program called HOSTS secure that automatically checks for updates of the hosts file. It also keeps my hosts file locked, so I do not use Spybot to lock the hosts file.

When MVPS releases a new hosts file, HOSTS secure downloads the update, unlocks my hosts file, updates it, then locks the updated hosts file.

However, every time HOSTS secure locks the hosts file, Spybot sets itself to lock the hosts file too, even though I do not want it to do this. I usually forget that this happens. Then the next I go to update the hosts file, my update gets interupted because Spybot has the hosts file locked.

So it appears that HOSTS secure and Spybot have a conflict.

[Jim B]

Sounds like Spybot is also locking the hosts file. To stop spybot doing this:

1. Load Spybot
2. Go into tools (on the left hand scroll bar)
3. Select IE Tweaks
4. Untick lock hosts file


Problem solved.

[tashi]

Also:
The HOSTS secure site is not opening for me at the moment:
http://www.timdorr.com/syko86/ycsoft/hostssecure.htm

A Google cache last message:

Thursday, November 24, 2005 @ 4.18AM
Sorry about the lack of updates recently, school just started and I'm really busy. School's in 4 hours time and I've been up all night. Alright, enough whining. New version!

I use Hoster, another program linked from http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hostsfaq.htm
http://www.funkytoad.com/hoster.htm

Using manual updates with no conflict.

[besafe]

Sounds like Spybot is also locking the hosts file. To stop spybot doing this:

1. Load Spybot
2. Go into tools (on the left hand scroll bar)
3. Select IE Tweaks
4. Untick lock hosts file


Problem solved.

You are correct, Spybot is also locking the HOSTS file and I do go into IE Tweaks and uncheck lock hosts file. This solves the problem until the next time I update my hosts file. After the update, spybot automatically locks the HOSTS file again, even though I have told it not to.

It's more of a nuissance than anything.

[tashi]

Hello.

I will ask someone to take a look at this topic. :)

[md usa spybot fan]

besafe:

Spybot appears to "lock" the HOSTS file by setting the attributes on the HOSTS file to read-only. This is normally accomplished by going into Spybot > Mode > Advanced Mode > Tools > IE Tweaks. There are three "Miscellaneous locks" on Spybot's IE tweaks page. If you check the following "Miscellaneous lock" the read-only attribute is set on for the HOSTS file.
Lock Hosts file read-only as protection against hijackers.
Spybot also appears to "lock" the HOSTS file when you go into Spybot > Mode > Advanced Mode > Tools > Hosts File and do an "Add Spybot-S&D hosts list".

In my experience Spybot does not automatically set the read-only attribute on the HOSTS file and only sets it when one of the two above manual actions are performed by the user.

It should be noted that the check mark in front of "Lock Hosts file read-only as protection against hijackers" on the IE Tweaks screen does not necessarily mean that Spybot set the attributes on the HOSTS file to read-only. The check mark indicates that attributes on the HOSTS file are set to read-only. They could have been set by some other program. For example:
Exit Spybot.
Go into Windows Explorer > right click on the HOSTS file > select Properties > then in the General tab > check Read-only (in Attributes near the bottom) > then click OK.
Go back into Spybot > Mode > Advanced Mode > Tools > IE Tweaks, Spybot will show that the HOSTS file is locked.
Exit Spybot.
Go into Windows Explorer > right click on the HOSTS file > select Properties > then in the General tab > uncheck Read-only (in Attributes near the bottom) > then click OK.
Go back into Spybot > Mode > Advanced Mode > Tools > IE Tweaks, Spybot will show that the HOSTS file is unlocked.

[besafe]

Hello.

I will ask someone to take a look at this topic. :)

No rush, but curious if anyone on the team started looking into this?

If it never gets solved, it's not a big deal. Again, just more of a nuissance than a real problem.

[md usa spybot fan]

besafe:


I will ask someone to take a look at this topic. :)
tashi (http://forums.spybot.info/member.php?u=7) PMed me with the following (2006-06-06, 15:52 GMT/UTC):


PM Title - any ideas

http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=4944
I commented above.


No rush, but curious if anyone on the team started looking into this?
Did you read my post above?

I believe that something other than Spybot is setting the read-only attribute on the HOSTS file that is interfering with your HOSTS Secure.

[besafe]

besafe:


Did you read my post above?

I believe that something other than Spybot is setting the read-only attribute on the HOSTS file that is interfering with your HOSTS Secure.

Yes, I did read your post. Thank you for the reply. But I am not certain that you are correct.

When I go into explorer and manually change the attributes of the HOSTS file, it has no effect on the setting of Spybots IE tweak. If I have checked the lock the hosts file box or if I have left it unchecked, it remains the same no matter what I manually do to the HOSTS file properties.

However, when I lock the HOSTS file with HOSTS Secure (my host management program), Spybot also shows that it has locked the HOSTS file. But when I unlock the file with HOSTS secure, this has no effect on Spybots setting.

So what happens, is that when I update the hosts file, HOSTS secure automatically locks the HOSTS file after the update, but Spybot is actually the program doing the locking. When I go to update again, HOSTS secure cannot update the fiile because Spybot has it locked. As soon as I uncheck the "lock hosts file", HOSTS secure is able to update.

You see it differently?

[esman01]

I am also having a problem modifying the hosts file on two computers. I started a separate thread, but thought I would mention that to the viewers of this thread. http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=5009

[bitman]

besafe: Since Spybot S&D works exactly as md usa spybot fan explained, my guess would be that Hosts Secure is causing the problem. I can change the Read-Only status of Hosts using either Windows Explorer Properties or Spybot S&D and see the other change, though I must refresh the Spybot Tweaks page to see the change since this isn't dynamically updated.

Here's something from the Hosts Secure Web Page (http://www.timdorr.com/syko86/ycsoft/hostssecure.htm) that mentions how it also locks Hosts while the program is running, something Spybot S&D doesn't do.


Thursday, November 24, 2005 @ 4.18AM
Sorry about the lack of updates recently, school just started and I'm really busy. School's in 4 hours time and I've been up all night. Alright, enough whining. New version!

Changed the way the HOSTS file is locked. Instead of setting it to just read-only (which malicious software can easily un-set), it now locks the HOSTS file as long as the program (HOSTS Secure) is running.
If, as md usa spybot fan mentioned, you have another program that monitors the hosts file I'd be looking there for the conflict.

Bitman

[Rosenfeld]

When I go into explorer and manually change the attributes of the HOSTS file, it has no effect on the setting of Spybots IE tweak. If I have checked the lock the hosts file box or if I have left it unchecked, it remains the same no matter what I manually do to the HOSTS file properties.

It does not work like that for me. I think that you were not giving spybot the chance to refresh the IE tweak window, to let it update its setting. To do that you must move out of the IE tweak window (e.g. by opening some other window in Spybot, or closing/reopening Spybot) and then going back to the IE Tweak window.

I also use the mvphosts file, though I update manually.

I tested the following, with Windows Explorer and Spybot both open.
Starting of with the HOSTS file in Windows Explorer showing as read only and the lock hosts file box in Spybot IE Tweaks window checked:

1. Uncheck the lock hosts in IE Tweaks window.
2. Look in Windows Explorer, Hosts/properties shows read only unchecked.
3. Set HOSTS to read only in Windows Explorer.
4. Move out of the IE tweaks window in Spybot then back in, the lock HOSTS file box is checked.
5. In Windows Explorer uncheck read only on HOSTS properties.
6. Allow Spybot to refresh its IE Tweaks settings by moving out of the IE Tweaks window and back in: lock hosts is unchecked.

Conclusion: the lock HOSTS file setting (checked or unchecked) in IE Tweaks in Spybot does reflect the setting of the read only property of HOSTS file and vice versa. Changing the read only property of the HOSTS file in Windows Explorer or in Spybot are completely equivalent. They are just two places to achieve the same ends.
Since setting it to locked in Spybot does not prevent a user (at least one with admin rights) from changing it manually in Windows Explorer, I can't see how the setting in Spybot could affect an app's ability to change the read only property, unless somehow Spybot can sense the difference between an app doing it and a user doing it manually in Windows Explorer. For that it would need to be actively monitoring who or what is trying to change the read only property of the HOSTS file. As far as I know, teatimer is the active monitoring part of Spybot, the rest is passive. I don't use teatimer, so don't know if that is the cause of your updating problems. Or it could be some other active monitoring software, if you have any (windows defender or some security suite).

Sorry Bitman to repeat some of what you said: I must have been typing while you posted.

[md usa spybot fan]

bitman:
Rosenfeld:

Thanks for verifying my observations. I had even gone as far as running Sysinternals Filemon to insure that my observations were correct concerning Spybot's actions in setting, unsetting and displaying the read-only attribute on the HOSTS file before posting – but that’s the way it goes.

besafe:

What options do you have checked within HOSTS Secure?
What other anti-sypware (internet security) programs are you running?

[besafe]

bitman:
Rosenfeld:

Thanks for verifying my observations. I had even gone as far as running Sysinternals Filemon to insure that my observations were correct concerning Spybot's actions in setting, unsetting and displaying the read-only attribute on the HOSTS file before posting – but that’s the way it goes.

besafe:

What options do you have checked within HOSTS Secure?
What other anti-sypware (internet security) programs are you running?

The options I have checked in Hosts Secure are:

1. Auto unlock before update
2. Auto lock after update
3. backup hosts file before update
4. Auto lock after recovery

The security programs I runs are:

Nod32, Zone Alarm Free (soon to switch to Comodo Firewall), Spysweeper, Snoop free, Ewido (only the scanner) and spyware blaster.

At the same time that I posted in this forum, I also emailed the Host Secure site as I figured that the problem could be from their end.

But to answer a previous posters question, I was giving spybot a chance to register the property changes made manually to the host file. In fact, I completely closed Spybot before manually manipulating the HOSTS file, then opened spybot afterwards. Still, the changes made to the host file did not imapct Spybots IE Tweak settings.

Oh yeah, I also use CCleaner and JV16 powertools. Not sure what is causing my conflict, but one definitely exists somewhere!