This tip was printed from the MalekTips Computer and Technology Help and Tips website at http://malektips.com.

Spybot Search and Destroy - Remove Access to Spyware/Adware Sites Through Hosts File

SUMMARY: Have Spybot Search and Destroy modify your Hosts file, making it more difficult to even accidentally visit spyware and adware sites.

Spybot Search and Destroy can modify the Hosts file, making it so that your computer should not even attempt to ever access known spyware sites. Instead of trying to access such sites (which you could possibly do by accident), you would instead see nothing in your web browser.

To add a list of these known malware sites to the Hosts file so you can no longer access them:

1. From Spybot Search and Destroy, Click "Mode", selecting "Advanced Mode".
2. Click "Tools" in the left pane.
3. Click "Hosts File" in the right pane.
4. Click "Add Spybot S&D hosts list".

Now, if your web browser tries to access a known rogue site, nothing should appear.

NOTE that currently installed or newly installed spyware or adware can also change this file! This tip can only help you if no such threats are already installed, and can be overridden at any time if other threats make it onto your system. However, by using this tip, you help lessen the chance threats can make it onto your system.