Very bad download

[Confused X 2]

I got this article http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm form another site. Looked good so I downloaded the zip file and all of a sudden my spysweeper is constantly block connection to bad sites like 2-quest.com, adultliksco.com asecurityissue.com and on and on. I did a system restore to yesterday and it did not help. What have I done and how do I fix it?

[jholland1964]

I am not certain what you mean by a bad download. It created a Hosts file which prevents access to the listed sites by redirecting any connection attempts back to the local machine. It is blocking these sites because they ARE bad sites. Spysweeper is doing it's job, it is blocking unwanted sites which can contain parasites and hijackers. If these sites are ones you normally visit then you will have to remove that file you downloaded.

[Confused X 2]

Never been to any of these sites. I think it is a very good article and sucks you in to download a virus or worst. Anybody with Spy Sweeper feel free to down load the zip file and see what happens.

[cauzomb]

You can find the removal instructions in the readme file included in the zip.

[Removal Instructions]
In the event you do not wish to continue using the MVPS HOSTS file, you can simply delete the
existing HOSTS file and rename HOSTS.MVP to HOSTS (no 3-letter extension)
Note: none of the included files make any changes to the Registry or install any additional
files to the Operating System.

I've checked the .bat file, and don't see any changes to the registry, or any application instal files, so that is why a restore point won't fix it, the windows restore mainly only reverts registry changes and dll's, to prevent loss of user data.

[cauzomb]

PS, I don't see anything bad with the zip, or hosts file. It's actually pretty good to use a host file that restricts access to sites, incase you let someone else use your system, like your "friends" or kids or relatives.. The hosts file will help prevent your system from being able to access the bad sites that are included in the hosts file. You can even make your own hosts file or add sites to it, which will keep people from perusing awefull sites, that might infect your system with adware/malware, adult content etc. If you have anymore interest in using a hosts file, check out our sticky link, it hasn't been updated for a while, but it's a good read.

http://forum.networktechs.com/showthread.php?t=477

[Confused X 2]

Immediately after the down load my zone alarm icon shows constant internet access and the spy sweeper warning box constantly shows sites that it is blocking. It just makes me believe that something in the down load is trying to access those sites and spy sweeper is stopping them. I have to engage the "stop all internet activity" to stop the insanity.

[cauzomb]

I didn't get any Zone alarm flags when downloading, or opening the mvp hosts .zip file, maybe there are some conflicts with spysweeper and zone alarm?

[cauzomb]

Can you give us a list of the applications/windows version you are running?

[Confused X 2]

Might be on to something here. ZA anti virus just picked this up "not-a-virus:PSWTool.Win32.AirCrack.c" I scan regularly so this is new and I would say it came with the down load. I quarantined it but still have the problem.

[jholland1964]

Sorry, mis-understood your original post. I apologize. Where exactly did Zone alarm say this not-a-virus:PSWTool.Win32.AirCrack.c is located?