Antispyware Host File - Protect Your Computer Now With This Simple Fix
Spyware, also known as adware, are a variety of malicious websites and programs that seek to gain at your expense. Ways that spyware will try to do this include installing rogue programs on your machine called trojans that will log your confidential personal data and send it back to criminals or simply use your PC as a bot from which to launch coordinated attacks on other websites. Spyware can also be used to bombard you with useless and unwanted advertising programs that you have no interest in. Lastly, they will typically slow down your PC.
An antispyware host file is one of many tools in your armory. It is basically a way for your PC to know what sites are "bad". Often, this may be referred to as a "blacklist". When your PC knows this blacklist, it will refuse to make connections with these sites and thus your PC cannot load any dodgy ads or programs from these sites.
The beauty of an antispyware host file is its simplicity. It is a text file that is easily edited using Notepad or some other text file editor. Although it is present on many operating systems, most of you will be using Windows XP.
On Windows XP, the antispyware host file can be found in the folder: "C:WINDOWSsystem32driversetc". There, you will find a file called "hosts". If you open this in Notepad, you can see that it is freely edited.
Actually, what your host file does it to override your internet provider in giving the address details for websites. By using the special "loopback address", 127.0.0.1, you can tell your PC to "stay at home" instead of going to a spyware site. For example, if you put "cnn.com" after the line "127.0.0.1", your PC will not access the internet if you want to visit that site. You will no longer be able to go to cnn.com -- please don't trick your friends using this!
Many a ready-made antispyware host file can be found on the internet with hundreds of bad sites listed so that your PC will never contact them.
Unfortunately, there is also a drawback to an antispyware host file including:
- needs to be update regularly
- some malicious software may be able to edit the file
- will not protect you from all viruses, trojans and spyware
For this reason, although I highly recommend an antispyware host file, it is simply not enough to protect your PC and spyware needs only one open route to infect your computer. Would you lock your front door but keep the windows open?
For full security from criminals, you need to look at a much better spyware/adware package, as well as possible virus scanning and software or hardware firewalls.
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