BleepingComputer.com: Question About Using Hosts File (specifically Spybot's)

I'm very sorry, but I have no idea.
My only experience is few years of using Spybot without even knowing what a HOSTS file is.
When I learned about MVPS, the initial state was just the local host there.
Then I noticed that S&D can add their entries, so I did it.
In my experience, immunization, which I used with every Spybot update, never added a thing, what can I tell you

I no longer use Spybot, but keep it around (that's why I could post the image).

Are you both saying that if you start with a default HOSTS file, with just the localhost there, when you click Immunize in Spybot, the HOSTS file is changed? Please confirm, because I'm getting confused now.

hosts 223KB

Quote

the start of my hosts

Quote

the end of it

All I do is install it with sd helper then update and immunize

Immunize has put 8010 items in hosts global

spybot and I go way back, never did like adaware

This post has been edited by DaChew: 04 March 2008 - 11:06 PM

DaChew, which version of Spybot are you using? I recall someone telling me recently that the interface of Spybot 1.5 handles the passive protection process differently to 1.4.

I use 1.4. I immunise regularly with Spybot, and it makes no difference to my hosts file (nor would I expect it to). The Spybot hosts file modification is done through 'Tools', not through 'Immunise', and I never touch that because my hosts file is handled by the HostsMan program.

Incidentally, the MVPs recommendation is not to merge hosts files. So I stick with the straight MVPs file, unadulterated.

This post has been edited by Alan D: 05 March 2008 - 07:28 AM

I just go for simplicity, there's nothing wrong with the MVP's hosts file, I am not so sure about adding another software to manage it tho.

spybot's matured a lot in the last 5 years, I will continue to keep it fully updated

teatimer burned me real bad a little over 2 years ago, and I went for a year without using any antispyware protection

my scans since I loaded 1.5x have been coming up fairly clean, cookie handling is much better

DaChew, on Mar 5 2008, 01:13 PM, said:

OK - I think this solves the problem people have been discussing. If what I'm recalling is correct (I can't check it myself because I don't have Spybot 1.5 installed), 1.5's handling of the hosts file is different to 1.4's, and in 1.5, both immunisation and the hosts file are handled together as a group - I think in 1.5's S&D Helper. That would explain the confusion that's been occurring here. Maybe someone could confirm this?

The important point is that the hosts file protection and the immunisation are quite different in character. But they each make an important contribution to that layering of protection that is so important.

This post has been edited by Alan D: 05 March 2008 - 11:27 AM

Quote

That is correct. In earlier versions, the hosts file in SSD was handled through tools. Now it's included in the Immunization page.