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Microsoft Bypasses HOSTS File
whitehatlurker writes "Dave Korn announced on the Full Disclosure and Bugtraq security lists that Microsoft is bypassing local lookups for some hosts, meaning that you can't locally block some sites through your HOSTS file. All of these sites are MicroSoft controlled sites.
The general feeling in the rest of the thread is that this was to obfuscate these hosts and prevent them from being blocked by malware. However, there are no non-MicroSoft hosts listed, giving a competitive advantage for MicroSoft's anti-malware tools over other brands."
Now I'll have to include a disclaimer...
Just another reason to continue using a more robust system :)
"The likes of Facebook and WhatsApp are free to those whose privacy is of zero value."
No, no... You just *license* the farm. MS still owns it. For a nominal fee, they'll let you step in the cow pies every second Tuesday.
Think about it.
Dear Tom,
this is Slashdot and the term "think" does not apply.
If you don't have bread, just eat cake.
> I didn't even know about the hosts file until 5 minutes ago
and already you feel qualified to comment
There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
IIRC, it's a hangover from Windows 3.1 or maybe Win95.
-- You are in a maze of little, twisty passages, all different... --