SpywareBlaster - Hosts File Snapshots

SUMMARY: Make backups of your Hosts file in case it gets changed by spyware / adware.

Your Windows machine's Hosts file has legitimate purposes. Normally, if you try to access a network resource that domain name system (DNS) servers cannot translate, a Hosts file can translate the verbal address (such as "server2") into an IP address. However, this file can be abused so that accesses to popular websites such as cnn.com, ebay.com, and paypal.com, for example, end up going to other lesser-known, rogue, and/or phishing websites.

To help protect against undesired changes, SpywareBlaster lets you create encrypted backup copies of the Hosts file. Then, if spyware or adware modify this file, you can restore from a saved backup.

Note that if you restore a Hosts file from a saved backup and your machine is still infected with spyware or adware, the changes you restore may get reverted! Thus it is important to clean your machine of threats first, and then repair any damage to the Hosts file.

1. From SpywareBlaster, click the "Tools" image.

2. Click the "Hosts Safe" link. From here, you can:

a. Create a Hosts file backup by clicking the "Create New Backup" button. A new backup will appear in the list.

b. Delete an old backup file by clicking a backup and then the "Delete selected" button.

c. To restore your Hosts file from a backup, click a backup to restore from and click the "Restore Saved Backup" button.