HOSTS file not blocking sites accessed via search-engines...

Hi,

I'm fairly sure I know why this is happening, but just want to confirm it here...

I have a HOSTS file which has a fairly comprehensive list of sites/addresses to block and it generally works fine.

However I recently noticed that if I access a blocked site (say "reddit.com") via a search engine - say I search for "reddit news" and then click on the link that pops up on the search engine, it will happily appear in my web browser.

Is there something I need to add to my HOSTS file to prevent this, or is it just that way it works and I'll have to use a DNS-based blocker to do what I want?

Cheers,

Mike.

@mingle

I believe that the HOSTS file only blocks "exact" website addresses.
Your example of searching for reddit news, may not land on a site or part of a site that you have blocked.
I don't think that adding reddit.com to your HOSTS file blocks ALL reddit pages.
I think it will only block reddit.com

For example reddit's home page is...

https://www.reddit.com/?rdt=45276


I don't think the HOSTS file does... wildcards.


I wanted to block CCleaner from calling home to Avast (who bought CCleaner from Piriform), in my hosts file.
I had to add all this...

0.0.0.0 ncc.avast.com
0.0.0.0 ncc.avast.com.edgesuite.net
0.0.0.0 license.piriform.com
0.0.0.0 ipm-provider.ff.avast.com
0.0.0.0 shepherd.ff.avast.com
0.0.0.0 ip-info.ff.avast.com
0.0.0.0 analytics.ff.avast.com

Same for Nvidia telemetry. I had to add all this...

127.0.0.1 gfwsl.geforce.com
127.0.0.1 gfe.geforce.com
127.0.0.1 telemetry.nvidia.com
127.0.0.1 gfe.nvidia.com
127.0.0.1 telemetry.gfe.nvidia.com
127.0.0.1 events.gfe.nvidia.com
127.0.0.1 activation-dc1.gfe.nvidia.com
127.0.0.1 activation.gfe.nvidia.com




Just adding Nvidia.com or Avast.com... didn't get the job done.



Note: I didn't figure all this out. I Googled a lot, before finding the proper things to add to my HOSTS file.

Ghot said:

I don't think the HOSTS file does... wildcards.

Click to expand...

That's correct. You'd have to use something like Acrylic DNS Proxy as your DNS, and configure its host file for wildcards.

pseymour said:

That's correct. You'd have to use something like Acrylic DNS Proxy as your DNS, and configure its host file for wildcards.

Click to expand...

@mingle

Fixed that for you.

I figured OP would see it. I wanted to quote the person who was right.

pseymour said:

I figured OP would see it. I wanted to quote the person who was right.

Click to expand...

LOL... flattery works.

A lot of folks on these forums... don't even look at their topic or post, until their notification bell, lights up.