What changed my HOSTS file? SpywareBlaster?

[Jackson]

When AVG (free) did a scheduled check of my Dell C521 with Media
Edition it reported two files had been changed.

The first file was a user.dll, and I guess that gets altered
regularly.

The other changed file was the HOSTS file. I have not knowingly
messed with this file lately. I did however download and install the
latest update from SpywareBlaster.

Does Spyware Blaster make changes to the HOSTS file?

If not SB, then what could have changed the file?

Thanks

[Gabriele Neukam]

On this special day, Jackson wrote :

> The first file was a user.dll, and I guess that gets altered
> regularly.

NOT! What makes you believe, that a file that is subject to frequent
changes, is alright? Especially, as my system (WinXP) has a user.exe
and a user32.dll, but no "user.dll" at all.

This file is extraneous, and you should identify it, and what it does,
ASAP. Modern trojan horses "phone home" and ask for updates, so this
behaviour indicates, it is something you *don't* want to have on your
machine.


Gabriele Neukam

Gabriele.Spamfighter.Neukam@t-online.de

--
(aus einem real existierenden Spam)
We are across SPAM when someboday have make a joke with your E-Mail
Adress then send us a mail with: "Keine Infos mehr" in the header!

[Bunge]

Jackson <jjacXkdins@Xcox.net (delete XX)> wrote:
> When AVG (free) did a scheduled check of my Dell C521 with Media
> Edition it reported two files had been changed.
>
> The first file was a user.dll, and I guess that gets altered
> regularly.
>
> The other changed file was the HOSTS file. I have not knowingly
> messed with this file lately. I did however download and install the
> latest update from SpywareBlaster.
>
> Does Spyware Blaster make changes to the HOSTS file?
>
> If not SB, then what could have changed the file?
>
> Thanks

Nothing has changed your HOST file other than yourself, ie: last time
you yourself updated it. What your AVG scan result is telling you is
that it's reading the information displayed in it's file, AVG7QT.DAT
which is stored on your C:\ drive. Check it out, open in Notepad (it
may take awhile it's usually biggish mine is 12 Mb +) or some such text
editor and you'll find an outdated copy of a previous Host file, scroll
down, it's normally at bottom. That's what AVG is reading and comparing
your present Host file with, therefore it's telling you it's changed.
Delete or rename AVG7QT.DAT and it will be replaced next time you scan
and your latest Host file will be contained within.

HTH

[Steve]

"Jackson" <jjacXkdins@Xcox.net (delete XX)> wrote in message
news:d879r2tdcncqvjh1t54o7ba84q8ffmkbco@4ax.com...
> When AVG (free) did a scheduled check of my Dell C521 with Media
> Edition it reported two files had been changed.
>
> The first file was a user.dll, and I guess that gets altered
> regularly.
>
> The other changed file was the HOSTS file. I have not knowingly
> messed with this file lately. I did however download and install the
> latest update from SpywareBlaster.
>
> Does Spyware Blaster make changes to the HOSTS file?
>
> If not SB, then what could have changed the file?
>
> Thanks
>

By any chance, do you use HostsMan? If so, see whether you have auto-update
checked.

--
Steve