HostsMan 3.2.70 Beta6 is now available here.
Note that this is BETA (unstable) software. You can download the latest stable version (3.1.57) here.
Posted on 01/26/2009 2:59:32 AM PST by markomalley
If you don't like going to Drudge and dealing with popups or getting tracked by third party cookies, I would suggest that you visit the following site:
Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File
This site maintains an updated "HOSTS" file that has a pretty comprehensive list of known ad and spyware sites and will cause your browser to not go to those sites if the page you are loading wants to get a banner ad, popup ad, webbug, or third party tracking cookie. The list of blocked sites is updated about once a month.
How does it work? When you type in "www.freerepublic.com" or "www.drudgereport.com," your computer first has to resolve that web URL to an IP address. It does this by first going to a file on your computer called the "HOSTS" file to see if there is a match and then goes to a server on the Internet called a "Domain Name Service" file.
The HOSTS file looks like this extract:
127.0.0.1 a.abnad.net
127.0.0.1 b.abnad.net
127.0.0.1 c.abnad.net #[eTrust.Tracking.Cookie]
127.0.0.1 d.abnad.net
127.0.0.1 e.abnad.net
127.0.0.1 t.abnad.net
127.0.0.1 z.abnad.net
127.0.0.1 banners.absolpublisher.com
127.0.0.1 tracking.absolstats.com
127.0.0.1 adv.abv.bg
127.0.0.1 bimg.abv.bg
127.0.0.1 www2.a-counter.kiev.ua
127.0.0.1 track.acclaimnetwork.com
127.0.0.1 accuserveadsystem.com
If you have a URL listed in the HOSTS file, it will automatically resolve to the corresponding IP address. You'll note that the above URLs all resolve to 127.0.0.1 -- 127.0.0.1 is the standard address for your local computer. So, what this file does, in essence, is to tell your browser to not do anything at all when it sees one of the URL listed in the HOSTS file.
Pretty comprehensive instructions for updating your HOSTS file are in the page I link to, above. There are special instructions for dealing with Vista and getting around various security software (such as Norton and Zone Alarm). Please read the instructions before actually doing the update.
Hope the above is of value to folks.
ping to the tech ping list
Bookmark. Thanks.
Kudos from an old techie.
bfl
Bookmarked. I’m going to play around with this over the weekend and get it running properly. Thanks, Mark!
bump
btt
Download, install, run.
With 3 clicks you can then: update the HOSTS file blocklists from 4 user groups that block unwanted ads, rebuild the HOSTS file, and be on your way to surfing the net free of popups and popunders and other unwanted ads.
HostsMan 3.2.70 Beta6 is now available here.
Note that this is BETA (unstable) software. You can download the latest stable version (3.1.57) here.
Hostsman automatically manages the MVPS HOSTS file that the original article is referencing. It provides a really simple GUI so there is no need for any technical knowledge on how to download and implement the MVPS user group HOSTS file.
Bump
That's interesting...however, does it support making the little tweaks necessary to get around the security software? How about dealing with the Vista security measures?
Not trying to dog the software...just askin'
I’ve been using Firefox with adblock plus and haven’t seen a popup or banner in years
Same here. And I have complete control on who I allow to set a cookie. FIREFOX RULES!!!
BTTT!
I have limited experience using Hostsman on Vista, I’ve been using 3.2.70 Beta6 for a couple of month now on Vista Home Premium 64-bit with no problem whatsoever, also have used it on Windows Server 2008 without a problem.
Hostsman also has a full HOSTS file editor that is simple to use, has a search function, and appends user generated notes to HOSTS file entries as needed (using the # annotation).
According to Microsoft, Windows Defender blocks, at startup, programs and services that require UAC confirmation. However, HostsMan, since version 3.0.40, doesn’t request elevated privileges when it starts. Instead, HM starts in a reduced functionality mode, which can be elevated later by user request, and that’s when you should get an UAC prompt.
And if anything weird happens, you can add the -s argument to the startup command to start Hostsman in reduced privileges mode to avoid the dreaded UAC
“C:\Program Files (x86)\abelhadigital.com\HostsMan\hm.exe” -s
bump
Firefox with the NoScript add-on(white list); no problems;
I dont even get Google advertising from each site because I dont want it.
The Hosts file stuff(black list) is essentially backwards.
The NoScript Firefox extension provides extra protection for Firefox, Flock, Seamonkey and other mozilla-based browsers: this free, open source add-on allows JavaScript, Java, Flash and other plugins to be executed only by trusted web sites of your choice (e.g. your online bank), and provides the most powerful Anti-XSS protection available in a browser.
NoScript’s unique whitelist based pre-emptive script blocking approach prevents exploitation of security vulnerabilities (known and even not known yet!) with no loss of functionality...
You can enable JavaScript, Java and plugin execution for sites you trust with a simple left-click
kewl. I’ll have to check into it.
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