Urgent !!! How to bypass Hosts file entries

[RemoteSilicon]

Hello,

I am writing an email client program where the links in the incoming messages will have direct access to the website, bypassing the hosts file entries. Can anyone help me on this. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[chiph]

You can't bypass the hosts file. The network driver uses it, and it's in a layer below what you have access to.

You could edit the hosts file, assuming your program is running with enough permissions. But doing that will likely cause any anti-virus programs to block your app, as well as being an unfriendly thing to do.

I would look at what you're trying to do and see if there's another way to accomplish it.

Right now, I'm suspicious of any email client that allows the messages to have direct access to a website. I've just gotten my 6th "your paypal account needs to be validated" phishing email today (funny, I don't *have* a paypal account), and I dread what might have happened if I had accidentally opened it.

Chip H.


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If you want to get the best response to a question, please read FAQ222-2244 first

 

[RemoteSilicon]

Thanks chip H. for replying back. The work I am trying to do is to create an email client that can deal with the phishing emails atleast at the basic level. For this I have to bypass the hosts file entries so that any false entry in the file should be made void.

 

[chiph]

I think you need to assume that the hosts file is clean. Having rogue entries in the hosts file will cause many more problems that receiving phishing emails, such as websites being redirected, slow surfing, etc. Plus, your anti-virus and anti-worm software will monitor that file for suspicious activity.

You might get better results from looking at the message headers and isolating emails from unsafe addresses. For example, a few of the ones I got yesterday were from Romania. What's the chances of my knowing anyone in that domain? If I do, then allow me to whitelist .ro, otherwise put the emails in a "suspicious" folder.

Chip H.


____________________________________________________________________
If you want to get the best response to a question, please read FAQ222-2244 first