WTF happened to my hosts file?

So I happened to be checking my "hosts" file to make sure the ad sites were being rerouted to 127.0.0.1. I have been seeing ads that normally were blocked, you see.

Anyway, this is what it looked like.


ശ⌊匠慴瑲漠⁦湥牴敩⁳湩敳瑲摥戠⁹灓批瑯ⴠ匠慥捲⁨…敄瑳潲൹ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷〮㜰畧牡⹤潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ〉㜰畧牡⹤潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ〉㠰⹩潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷〮㠰⹫潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ〉㠰⹫潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷〮栰⹱潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ〉栰⹱潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ〉〱〴⸲潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷〮㈳㌴⸹潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ〉㈳㌴⸹潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷〮捳湡挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ猰慣⹮潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ〰朰慲楴灳潲敢⹮潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ〰朰慲楴灳潲敢⹮潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ〰渱浡湥挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷〱㄰慮敭⹮潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ〰㠸㈸〹獣挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷〱㠰㠸㤲挰⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ〰敳汸湩獫挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ〱猰硥楬歮⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ猰步挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷〱敳⹫潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ㈭〰ⴵ敳牡档挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱⴱ〲㔰猭慥捲⹨潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㌲灦牯⹮湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㈱昳潰湲椮普൯ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㌲慨獵楴牥略摮敭牨挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㈱栳畡瑳敩敲湵浤桥⹲潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㌲潭楶摥睯汮慯⹤潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ㌲潭楶摥睯汮慯⹤潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㌲楳獭湥挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㈱猳浩敳⹮潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㌲潴獰慥捲⹨潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ㌲潴獰慥捲⹨潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㔲浳⹳潣甮൫ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ㔲浳⹳潣甮൫ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㔲浳⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ㔲浳⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㈳挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㌱⸲潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㌳挷敲⹷湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㌱㜳牣睥椮普൯ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ㌳ⴷ牣睥琮൯ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㌳ⴷ牣睥琮൯ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ㘳㌱⸶敮൴ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㘳㌱⸶敮൴ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ〵牦敥浳⹳敤਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㔱昰敲獥獭搮൥ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ㌶獮挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ㘱渳⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉㄷ〲⸳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ挷湯散瑰⹳湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㜱潣据灥獴椮普൯ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉⴷ汰獵挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㠱〰敳牡档湯楬敮挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ㠱〰敳牡档湯楬敮挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ㠱猰慥捲慨獳獩慴瑮挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㠱猰慥捲慨獳獩慴瑮挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ㠱猰汯瑵潩獮挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㠱猰汯瑵潩獮挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ㠱⸱㘳猵景⹴湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㠱⸱㘳猵景⹴湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ㤱㜸㈳⸴潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ㠹㌷㐲挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱⴱ潤慭湩⵳敲楧瑳慲楴湯⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ搭浯楡獮爭来獩牴瑡潩獮挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷朱灨牯⹮湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ朱灨牯⹮湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷椱灭牯慴瑮慩牭慥⹬潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ浩潰瑲湡楴浡敲污挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷洱批杩牤慥湭睯敲污挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ洱批杩牤慥湭睯敲污挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷猱硥慰瑲⹹潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ敳灸牡祴挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷猱獭搮൥ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ浳⹳敤਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷猱祰潢⹴潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ灳批瑯挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷猱慴瑮癩物獵挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ猱慴瑮癩物獵挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷猱灴条桥牥⹥潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ瑳慰敧敨敲挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷猱獴慥捲灨牯慴⹬潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ瑳敳牡档潰瑲污挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ⸲㈸ㄲ⸱敮൴ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉〰漶潯挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷〲㘰潯⹯潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉〰ⴷ潤湷潬摡挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷〲㜰搭睯汮慯⹤潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㈮〰昸物晥硯挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ〲㠰楦敲潦⹸潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㈮〰猸慥捲⵨敤瑳潲⹹潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉〰猸慥捲⵨敤瑳潲⹹潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉〰ⴸ敳牡档搭獥牴祯挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷〲㠰猭慥捲⵨敤瑳潲⹹潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㈮〰ⴸ楶睥牥挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ〲㠰瘭敩敷⹲潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㈮〰ⴹ愭捣獥⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉〰ⴹ愭捣獥⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉〰愹瑮癩物牰⹯潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㈮〰愹瑮癩物牰⹯潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㈮〰ⴹ摥瑩潩⹮潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉〰ⴹ摥瑩潩⹮潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㈮〰ⴹ桰湯⹥潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉〰ⴹ桰湯⹥潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㈮〰猹慥捲⵨敤瑳潲⹹潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉〰猹慥捲⵨敤瑳潲⹹潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉〰ⴹ敶獲潩⹮湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷〲㤰瘭牥楳湯椮普൯ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉㄰ⴱ楫潬⵳敶汲敩敲⹮略਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷〲ㄱ欭汩獯瘭牥楬牥湥攮൵ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㈮㈰猰慥捲⹨潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉㈰猰慥捲⹨潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉砰瀲挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱㄲ楤散渮瑥਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷ㄲ楤散渮瑥਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷ⴲ〲㔰猭慥捲⹨潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉㈭〰ⴵ敳牡档挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ㐲㌮㔶潳瑦椮普൯ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㈮⸴㘳猵景⹴湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ㐲昷硸⹸湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㐲昷硸⹸湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ㐲㜭桰牡慭祣椮普൯ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㈮ⴴ瀷慨浲捡⹹湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ㐲㜭敳牡档湩ⵧ湡ⵤ潭敲挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㐲㜭敳牡档湩ⵧ湡ⵤ潭敲挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㐲整湥挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ㐲整湥挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ栲㕪瑪牮慬⹸慢瑰杯祢杯挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ渲灤睯牥挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷爲獦硥椮普൯ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉晲敳⹸湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷猲慥捲⹨潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉敳牡档挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷猲慥捲⹨牯൧ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㈉敳牡档漮杲਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷猲畱牡摥挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ猲畱牡摥挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷瘲灧牯⹮湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ瘲灧牯⹮湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ〳潨慲摳獥硥潯汮湩⹥潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㌮栰牯獡敤敳潸湯楬敮挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷ㄳ潣畬湭⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㌉挱汯浵獮挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱⴳ〲㔰猭慥捲⹨潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㌮㈭〰ⴵ敳牡档挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㈳ⴱ牧瑡獩猭獭挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ㈳ⴱ牧瑡獩猭獭挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㌳㈲漮杲਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ㌳㈲漮杲਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㘳昵潰湲椮普൯ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㌉㔶灦牯⹮湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㘳猵瑩獥椮普൯ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㌉㔶楳整⹳湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ㘳猵景⹴湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ㘳扯㉶穧㕱⹫楳牥散慶⹹潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㌮猶瑩⹥潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㌉猶瑩⹥潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㌉㈷⸱潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㌉ⴹ㌹挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷戳祡椮൴ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㌉慢⹹瑩਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷搳獧硥椮普൯ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㌉杤敳⹸湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ漳搷楢煳摦⸴敮煤湵晥⹲潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㌮杷潰湲椮普൯ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㌉杷潰湲椮普൯ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㌉捸楬獰湯楬敮挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷砳汣灩潳汮湩⹥潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㌉捸牵敶⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㌮捸牵敶⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㌮晸獥楴慶⹬潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㌉晸獥楴慶⹬潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㌮⵸敦瑳癩污挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ砳昭獥楴慶⹬潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㌮⵸慧汬⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㌉⵸慧汬⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㌮浸物捡敬挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ砳業慲汣⹥潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㌮浸癯敩扳潬⹧潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㌉浸癯敩扳潬⹧潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㐉㐰湤⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㐮㐰湤⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㐉ㄱ⸵畤楸数敦⹲潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㐮ㄱ⸵畤楸数敦⹲潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㐮㤱⸹潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㐉㤱⸹潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㐮㈭〰ⴵ敳牡档挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱⴴ〲㔰猭慥捲⹨潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㐮潣湲渮瑥਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ挴牯⹮敮൴ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㐉扥祡椮൴ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㐮扥祡椮൴ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㐉汫⹭潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷㐮灭⹧潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㐉灭⹧潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ㐉漭数⵮慤楶据⹩潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉


This goes on for a total of 214,628 characters, or about 48 pages. Looks like Korean characters.


I recovered my "hosts" file from a recent backup. But, still... any ideas?

but might suggest is you make your file "read-only".

I didn't like doing it at first because I was really tweaking it a lot a while back, but lately I only touch mine maybe once a month.

Most mysterious. I had that option checked off in "Spybot S&D", to protect it. I unchecked it in Windows Explorer to save it after I fixed it.

:shrug:

Scan with MBAM http://www.techspot.com/downloads/4716-malwarebytes-anti-malware.html & your Anti Virus. Let us know if/what they find.

I also have Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware. Spybot runs daily, but I haven't run Ad-Aware in a while. Do you think I need this "MBAM" too?

...and that's a big if...and your Norton, Spybot and/or Adaware hasven't "caught" it, then yes Malwarebytes AntiMalware (MBAM) is most definitely needed. It's fast, free & most importantly one of the most effective Malware detection & removal tools out there presently, IMO. Many other DUers will no doubt concur.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of any of the 3 progs you mentioned, but to each his own.:)

How do you maintain your Hosts file? I use HostsMan to update & optimize my hosts file. I use MVPs hosts along with other ad-blocking & Malware Domain blocking hosts which HostsMan can update with three mouse clicks when needed.

HostsMan D/L @ Major Geeks: http://majorgeeks.com/HostsMan_d4592.html

Features:

- online update of hosts file;
- enable/disable usage of hosts file;
- open Hosts file with one click;
- merge two hosts files;
- built-in hosts editor;
- prevent other programs of writing to the hosts;
- scan hosts for errors, duplicates and possible hijacks;
- find how many host names;
- easily install newly downloaded hosts file;
- create encrypted backups of your hosts file;
- resolve host names;
- keep log of latest blocked sites;
- etc.

I've positioned it so it's in direct sunlight a couple of hours a day but not more than that to avoid sunburn.

:P

Spybot adds known bad domain names to the list whenever I update it; I've added a few dozen by hand to try to cut down on the ads I see on the InterTubez. Past that... :shrug:

...Then it looks like Spybot entered some REALLY bad domain names...

ശ⌊匠慴瑲漠⁦湥牴敩⁳湩敳瑲摥戠⁹灓批瑯ⴠ匠慥捲⁨…敄瑳潲൹ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷〮㜰畧牡⹤潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ〉㜰畧牡⹤潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ〉㠰⹩潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷〮㠰⹫潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ〉㠰⹫潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷〮栰⹱潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ〉栰⹱潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ〉〱〴⸲潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷〮㈳㌴⸹潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ〉㈳㌴⸹潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷〮捳湡挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ猰慣⹮潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ〰朰慲楴灳潲敢⹮潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ〰朰慲楴灳潲敢⹮潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ〰渱浡湥挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷〱㄰慮敭⹮潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ〰㠸㈸〹獣挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷〱㠰㠸㤲挰⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ〰敳汸湩獫挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ〱猰硥楬歮⹳潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ猰步挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷〱敳⹫潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ㈭〰ⴵ敳牡档挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱⴱ〲㔰猭慥捲⹨潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㌲灦牯⹮湩潦਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㈱昳潰湲椮普൯ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㌲慨獵楴牥略摮敭牨挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㈱栳畡瑳敩敲湵浤桥⹲潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㌲潭楶摥睯汮慯⹤潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮ眉睷ㄮ㌲潭楶摥睯汮慯⹤潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㌲楳獭湥挮浯਍㈱⸷⸰⸰ऱ睷⹷㈱猳浩敳⹮潣൭ㄊ㜲〮〮ㄮㄉ㌲潴獰慥

:evilgrin:

and tried to get a translation on about the first 1/4 of the first line.

We are not yet able to translate from Malayalam into English.

At least we know 2 things. We know what language we're dealing with, and that Malayalam is a palindrome, FWIW.:shrug:

Or was that 'palin-drone'?

You Betchya!!

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=palindrone


Palindrome http://grammar.about.com/od/pq/g/palindrometerm.htm

Definition:

Word play in which a word, phrase, or sentence reads the same backward or forward--such as Madam, I'm Adam. Adjective: palindromic.