Portable Tools – HostsXpert and HostsMan – Browser Redirects

This post was written by admin on October 9, 2009
Posted Under: Antimalware, Browser Hijack, Free PC Security, Hijacked Hosts

I have covered this previously with malware that redirects browser search pages and changes the home page. The malware has compromised your PC security by changing the Hosts file.

In some cases, removal was simply a case of downloading HostsXpert or HostsMan and restoring the Hosts to the default MS Hosts - localhost 127.0.0.1

As malware has evolved, it has also been able to stop these programs from running as well as block access to security sites and downloads as well as uninstalling security programs that users have installed.

HostsXpert and HostsMan are both free portable applications that can be installed on a usb stick, use one or the other, ensuring that the DNS Client is disabled.

In HostsMan there is a box to tick to disable the DNS Client, but if using HostsXpert open 'Administrative Tools' and click on Services, scroll down to DNS Client, right click and select Properties and change it from Automatic to either Manual or Disabled then click OK and close the open windows.

Both of these make managing and updating your Hosts much easier.

When malware has hijacked the Hosts and redirects your browser searches to other sites other than the ones you intended, it frequently redirects to further malicious downloads.

Using either HostsXpert or HostsMan you can easily Restore the MS Hosts, which will remove ALL Hosts apart from the localhost. In some instances, malware can also stop these programs from running by making the Hosts file a system file.

When this happens simply open your C: Drive and double click, then double click on the Windows folder, open the system32 folder, locate the drivers folder and open the etc folder.

Delete ALL of the hosts files, DO NOT delete lmhosts, networks, protocol or services.

You should then be able to download or update antimalware programs to remove the malware. My favorite for this is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware which will remove the files, folders, registry keys and so on, plus it is very easy to use.

Once completed and all malware has been removed a reboot is necessary to finish the removal process as some files are locked by the system.

Simply reboot and if using a Hosts manager import a new Hosts file. If using immunization programs such as Spybot S&D or SpywareBlaster you will need to immunize or apply the protection again.

Download HostsMan here

Download HostsXpert here

Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware here