Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File

[LazyLion]

Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File...

I've been using this site for about five years now.... a great resource!

Blocks almost all major parasites and threats in web pages... as well as malicious and phishing sites.

What it does ...
The Hosts file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. This file is loaded into memory (cache) at startup, then Windows checks the Hosts file before it queries any DNS servers, which enables it to override addresses in the DNS. This prevents access to the listed sites by redirecting any connection attempts back to the local (your) machine. Another feature of the HOSTS file is its ability to block other applications from connecting to the Internet, providing the entry exists.

You can use a HOSTS file to block ads, banners, 3rd party Cookies, 3rd party page counters, web bugs, and even most hijackers. This is accomplished by blocking the connection(s) that supplies these little gems.

Also blocks a ton of advertising (not MyBroadband) ... in Firefox and Internet Explorer...

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

here is the actual hosts file...

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.zip

unzip it... and run the batch file...

The ONLY downside I have seen is that it sometimes causes script errors in MSN Live Messengers when it blocks those ads.

 

[qdada]

you just reminded me to update spybot search and destroy, thanks.

 

[LazyLion]

you just reminded me to update spybot search and destroy, thanks.

I use this in conjunction with spybot... and ad-aware.

 

[Sselmrah]

this (http://www.opera.com) plus this (http://www.fanboy.co.nz/adblock/)

 

[medicnick83]

Thanks for this, using it, I've killed all the ads on Facebook and I even tested in and it blocked the MyBB ads nicely!

Thanks Garyvdh

 

[Herm]

That's a pretty smart move, i've used hosts files in the past when i want to allow users access to only certain sites, but never thought of this.

thx man!!!

 

[LazyLion]

this (http://www.opera.com) plus this (http://www.fanboy.co.nz/adblock/)

Yes, you can also use this in conjunction with that. This blocks ads and parasites across all browsers and web apps. It is not just an ad blocker. It adds an extra layer of safety at the root level.

 

[andres101]

Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File...
<snip>
unzip it... and run the batch file...

so, you want to block parasites but you trust their batch file... I sure hope you looked at what the file does before running it. would be hilarious if it installs malware on your PC.

BTW, thanks for the link, I will download and test later on.

I recommend you get the ScriptBlock firefox extension. It blocks all scripts and embedded controls, but allows you to enable them on permanently or temporarily for a site. It takes some getting used to though.

 

[LazyLion]

so, you want to block parasites but you trust their batch file... I sure hope you looked at what the file does before running it. would be hilarious if it installs malware on your PC.

BTW, thanks for the link, I will download and test later on.

I recommend you get the ScriptBlock firefox extension. It blocks all scripts and embedded controls, but allows you to enable them on permanently or temporarily for a site. It takes some getting used to though.

all that the batch file does is backup your current HOSTS file and install this one...

@ECHO OFF
IF NOT EXIST HOSTS GOTO noHostsFile
IF "%OS%"=="Windows_NT" GOTO HostsFile
IF EXIST %winbootdir%\HOSTS*.* ATTRIB +A -H -R -S %winbootdir%\HOSTS*.*>NUL
IF EXIST %winbootdir%\HOSTS.MVP DEL %winbootdir%\HOSTS.MVP>NUL
IF EXIST %winbootdir%\HOSTS REN %winbootdir%\HOSTS HOSTS.MVP>NUL
IF EXIST %winbootdir%\NUL COPY /Y HOSTS %winbootdir%>NUL
GOTO noHostsFile
:HostsFile
IF EXIST %windir%\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\HOSTS*.* ATTRIB +A -H -R -S %windir%\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\HOSTS*.*>NUL
IF EXIST %windir%\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\HOSTS.MVP DEL %windir%\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\HOSTS.MVP>NUL
IF EXIST %windir%\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\HOSTS REN %windir%\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\HOSTS HOSTS.MVP>NUL
IF EXIST %windir%\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\NUL COPY /Y HOSTS %windir%\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC>NUL
EXIT

Pretty simple... as I said... I have been using it for about five years now... and never had a problem.

I do use the script blocker extension for Firefox... but as I stated to the previous poster, this HOSTS file provides an added SYSTEM-WIDE layer of protection.

you can also look in the HOSTS file itself if you want...

you will see the entire list of blocked sites.

Install the McAfee Site Advisor into your browser and then visit each of those sites to see why they are blocked.