IT Security Stack Exchange
IT Security Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [hosts-file]

13 questions
25
votes
5 answers

Is it unsafe to use /etc/hosts file as a website blocker in the following manner?

I'm a linux noob, and while looking for a simple OS-level website blocking technique, I came upon the solution of using the linux hosts file like so: 127.0.0.1 websiteiwanttoblock.com 127.0.0.1 anotherone.com ... This is nice and simple - perfect…
user134696
9
votes
1 answer

Does Windows Update modify Hosts file?

I have Avira installed with Hosts file protection enabled. I've noticed a pattern where Avira warns me of an attempted modification of the Hosts file (but alas doesn't tell me which process did the attempt), and soon afterwards a Windows Update…
Medinoc
  • 191
  • 4
3
votes
1 answer

What is the point of blocking a potentially malicious domain by binding it in the hosts file to 0.0.0.0 rather than 127.0.0.1?

tl;dr: In order to prevent a potential use of our computers to mine crytpocurrencies, I and a few other people were advised to append this: https://github.com/hoshsadiq/adblock-nocoin-list/blob/master/hosts.txt to our hosts file. I notice that this…
gaazkam
  • 5,607
  • 11
  • 24
  • 37
3
votes
1 answer

Proper method of block ads/tracking on VPN Server for Clients

I´m running a VPN service on Debian(for a few friends) as kind of like a self learning project to gather more experience running a secure and highly available service. At the moment OpenVPN pushes opendns servers to the clients and clients route all…
architekt
  • 986
  • 1
  • 7
  • 18
2
votes
1 answer

Adblocker versus denied hosts list?

I came across the idea of adding many domain names to an hosts list to prevent "malvertising" (malware hidden in ads). How does this compare to using an adblocker? Using an host files seems better to me at first sight, but are there performance…
DevShark
  • 331
  • 1
  • 10
2
votes
1 answer

Certificates for localhost, MITM Attack

Excerpt from https://letsencrypt.org/docs/certificates-for-localhost/ You might be tempted to work around these limitations by setting up a domain name in the global DNS that happens to resolve to 127.0.0.1 (for instance, localhost.example.com),…
AEonAX
  • 163
  • 9
2
votes
2 answers

Can browser bypass hosts configuration file?

for example, assume I have edited the hosts file with the following line: 127.0.0.1 malicious-site.com if I happen to have installed a browser developed by people who owns this malicious website. When I accidentally load a webpage which has a…
Sajuuk
  • 271
  • 3
  • 11
2
votes
1 answer

.onion entries in hosts file

I opened my %WINDIR%\system32\drivers\etc\hosts file & I found the following entries there 0.0.0.0 gx7ekbenv2riucmf.onion 0.0.0.0 57g7spgrzlojinas.onion 0.0.0.0 Xxlvbrloxvriy2c5.onion 0.0.0.0 76jdd2ir2embyv47.onion 0.0.0.0…
user93353
  • 1,982
  • 3
  • 19
  • 33
0
votes
0 answers

Export Fiddler Site Specific Cert

I have a site example.com that I am currently intercepting https traffic for and pointing it to my local server using fiddler. I would like to take fiddler out of the equation by installing the site's certificate that is generated by fiddler on my…
PGBRULES
  • 1
0
votes
1 answer

Modifying host file versus firewall

I am trying to protect a macOS computer. Specifically, I want to prevent the machine from making unwanted connections over the internet. I am aware of firewalls of course. But I stumbled upon the idea of adding many domain names to /etc/hosts, and…
DevShark
  • 331
  • 1
  • 10
-1
votes
1 answer

How to block website with the particular ip address using host file

I have blocked websites for a user in Lan environment through changing host file on his pc. like this- 127.0.0.1 youtube.com (Succeded). But i want that if user use other ip address (mobile hotspot or wifi) to access this site, then it should be…
systronics
  • 1
  • 1
-1
votes
1 answer

How can adding a line to your hosts file bypass a server side firewall?

In this SQLi blog the author says that to bypass a firewall at the server side you should add this line to your /etc/hosts file: 54.165.170.2 www.example.com But doing so will only block my browser from viewing the website. How come it bypass…
nothing1
  • 9
  • 1
  • 4
-2
votes
2 answers

What if someone made Google SafeBrowsing flag a website by hosting a malicious site locally?

I have seen many posts here about /etc/hosts, but I don't see them addressing this issue. The issue is: If a person adds 127.0.0.1 mywebsite.com to their /etc/hosts file and 127.0.0.1 has dangerous social engineering and other malicious content.…
Example person
  • 163
  • 9