The HOSTS file can be modified with administrator permissions in Windows 10 . This is a file that is used to resolve host names into IP addresses without using DNS. It is widely used to block access to a specific web page. We simply have to modify the text and we can prevent that equipment from entering a certain site that does not interest us, regardless of which browser we are going to use. Now, in this article we echo how Windows is detecting this as a threat.
Windows detects modifications to the HOSTS file as a threat
Since the end of July, the Microsoft operating system detects the HOSTS files that are blocking the telemetry servers as a threat. You consider them a major security risk.
Many users have indicated that for a few days Windows Defender , the antivirus for this operating system, detects HOSTS files that have been modified as a security threat.
Revealing details shows nothing but information related to a “configuration change” threat and potentially unwanted behavior.
As indicated by Bleeping Computer, this problem appears when a user tries to block the Windows telemetry servers . In case of modifying the HOSTS file to block any other domain, nothing would happen, but it would happen when adding Windows telemetry.
Why does this happen? Microsoft seems to have recently updated its Microsoft Defender definitions to detect when its servers are added to the HOSTS file. This affects users who use HOSTS files to block telemetry in Windows 10 , suddenly the HOSTS file hijacking detection appears.
In short, if you have recently modified the Windows HOSTS file to block Windows telemetry servers, you may have seen a warning message that there is a threat.
Windows telemetry and the importance of privacy
Many readers who have come this far may wonder what Windows telemetry is . It is a function that is included in the Microsoft operating system and that allows the collection of information and personal data of the users, of the use that they give to the different tools and services. In short, a feature through which Microsoft knows more about the use we have.
This for many is a problem since to a certain extent they could spy and detect all the use that we give to the operating system. We already know that privacy is a very important factor for users and our data on the network has great value. They could be used to include us in spam campaigns, send targeted advertising or even sell them to third parties.
This makes many users choose to block that Windows telemetry. They try to keep the data they can collect as little as possible and in this way keep privacy safe at all times on the Internet. We leave you an article to see telemetry in Firefox.