Should I remove hosts?
What percent of users and experts removed it?
67% remove it33% keep it
What do people think about it?
(click star to rate)
How common is it?
Global Rank #9,007
United States Rank #11,874
Reach 0.0422%
Lifespan of installation (until removal)
< 20.64 days
609.01 days >
Average installed length: 319.99 days
Versions
Version | Distribution |
1.27.153.7 |
100.00% |
|
Rankings
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- #9,005 FLV Runner Toolbar
- #9,006 RoboForm 7-9-8-5 by Siber Systems
- #9,007 hosts by Alex
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- #9,009 Microsoft Lync Basic 2013
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hosts
from Alex
What is hosts?
This is a web browser extension and Browser helper Object (for Internet Explorer) that delivers contextual based advertising to the web browser. In addition it will modify the user's browser home and search pages as well as 'New Tab' pages to push advertising and search. The software acts is typically defined as a unwanted application by various malware vendors. The BHO is based on the CrossRider platform for developing toolbars and various cross-browser extensions.
Overview
It adds a Browser Helper Object (BHO) to Internet Explorer. The primary executable is named hosts-bho.dll. Many users end up uninstalling this after less than a month of it being installed. The setup package generally installs about 9 files and is usually about 4.47 MB (4,691,993 bytes).
This browser extension utilizes Crossrider framework, a cross-browser toolbar/plugin platform used to develop, deploy and monetize web browser toolbars for Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox. Crossrider extension provide monetization options, mostly potentially unwanted apps, for toolbars including coupons, search assistant (home page and search hijacking) and in-text contextual advertising. Many adware programs (defined by a number of anti-virus vendors) are built using Crossrider as it provides a quick an easy way to deploy ad-supported features that will assist in browser search hijacking.
- Malware detected in the program
- Integrates into the web browser
- Uses the Crossrider toolbar framework
- During install it may hijack/modify the browser's homepage and search provider
- Runs disconnected from the browser as a background process
- Delivered through a thrid-party offer
- The wisdom of the experts agree, if you don't use it you should remove it!
Warning, multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in hosts.
hosts-bho.dll (8b017e3910261cb0c9d914a6abac5382) has been flagged by the following 18 scanners: |
Anti-Virus software | Version | Detection |
Lavasoft Ad-Aware |
1122 |
Adware.Generic.649205 |
Avira AntiVir |
7.11.123.202 |
APPL/CrossRider.A |
AVG |
2015.0.3600 |
Generic5 |
Bitdefender |
1.0.20.45 |
Adware.Generic.649205 |
Bkav FE |
1.3.0.4613 |
W32.Clod569.Trojan |
Dr.Web |
9.0.0.09 |
Trojan.Crossrider.1 |
Emsisoft Anti-Malware |
8.14.01.09.04 |
Adware.Generic.649205 |
ESET-NOD32 |
8.9257 |
a variant of Win32/Toolbar.CrossRider.H |
F-Secure |
11.2014-09-01_5 |
Adware.Generic.649205 |
G Data |
14.1.22 |
Adware.Generic.649205 |
K7 AntiVirus |
13.175.10750 |
Riskware |
K7GW |
13.175.10750 |
Riskware ( 0040eff71 ) |
McAfee |
5600.7256 |
Artemis!8B017E391026 |
McAfee-GW-Edition |
7.7256 |
Artemis!8B017E391026 |
MicroWorld-eScan |
15.0.0.27 |
Adware.Generic.649205 |
Sophos |
4.96 |
Generic PUA FO |
Symantec |
1/9/2014 rev. 5 |
Adware.Crossid |
VIPRE Antivirus |
25156 |
Crossrider (fs) |
View all 18 all detections
hosts has been found to be bundled with 3rd party software. If you have not purposefully installed this, you should be safe uninstalling it.
Program details
Installation folder: C:\Program Files\hosts
Uninstaller: C:\Program Files\hosts\Uninstall.exe /fromcontrolpanel=1
Estimated size: 4.47 MB
Files installed by hosts
Program module: | hosts-bho.dll (Malware detected) |
Name: | hosts |
| hosts BHO |
Path: | C:\Program Files\hosts\hosts-bho.dll |
MD5: | 8b017e3910261cb0c9d914a6abac5382 |
Additional files:
-
hosts-bg.exe - hosts (hosts exe)
-
hosts-buttonutil.exe
-
hosts-buttonutil64.exe
-
hosts-codedownloader.exe
-
Uninstall.exe - hosts Installer
-
hosts-helper.exe
Behaviors exhibited
Internet Explorer BHO
- hosts-bho.dll is installed in Internet Explorer as a BHO (Browser Helper Object) under the name 'hosts' with the class of {11111111-1111-1111-1111-110311531182} (CrossriderApp0035382).
How do I remove hosts?
You can uninstall hosts from your computer by using the Add/Remove Program feature in the Window's Control Panel.
- On the Start menu (for Windows 8, right-click the screen's bottom-left corner), click Control Panel, and then, under Programs, do one of the following:
- Windows Vista/7/8/10: Click Uninstall a Program.
- Windows XP: Click Add or Remove Programs.
- When you find the program hosts, click it, and then do one of the following:
- Windows Vista/7/8/10: Click Uninstall.
- Windows XP: Click the Remove or Change/Remove tab (to the right of the program).
- Follow the prompts. A progress bar shows you how long it will take to remove hosts.
- If for some reason uninstallation fails, please install Microsoft's uninstall fixer utility which will help fix problems with programs that can't be uninstalled at support.microsoft.com.
How do I reset my web browser?
If your web browser homepage and search settings have been modfied by hosts you can restore them to their previous default settings.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Open Internet Explorer and click the Tools button, and then click Internet options.
- Click the Advanced tab, and then click Reset. Select the Delete personal settings check box if you would also like to remove search providers, Accelerators and home pages. When Internet Explorer finishes applying default settings, click Close, and then click OK.
- The changes will take effect the next time you open IE.
Mozilla Firefox
- At the top of the Firefox window, click the Firefox button, go over to the Help sub-menu and select Troubleshooting Information.
- To continue, click Reset Firefox in the confirmation window that opens. It will close and be reset.
- When it's done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click Finish and Firefox will open.
Google Chrome
- Open Chrome and click the Chrome menu on the browser toolbar.
- Select Settings. In the "Search" section, click Manage search engine. Check if (Default) is displayed next to your preferred search engine. If not, mouse over it and click Make default. Mouse over any other suspicious search engine entries that are not familiar and click X to remove them.
- When the "Show Home button" checkbox is selected, a web address appears below it. If you want the Homepage button to open up a different webpage, click Change to enter a link.
- Restart Google Chrome.
OS VERSIONS
Win 7 (SP1) 58%
Win 7 0%
|
|
USER ACTIONS
|
Uninstall it 67%
Keep it 33%
|
|
|
GLOBAL RANK
#9,007
|
Windows
Which Windows OS versions does it run on?
Windows 7 |
67.19% |
|
Windows 10 |
19.23% |
|
Windows XP |
9.01% |
|
Windows Vista |
4.57% |
|
Which OS releases does it run on? |
Windows 7 Home Premium |
29.95% |
|
Windows 7 Ultimate |
23.19% |
|
Windows 7 Professional |
9.30% |
|
Microsoft Windows XP |
9.06% |
|
Windows 8 |
6.76% |
|
Windows 8.1 |
3.86% |
|
Geography
30.70% of installs come from the United States
Which countries install it?
United States |
30.70% |
Brazil |
4.24% |
Australia |
3.55% |
Canada |
3.55% |
MA |
3.44% |
Indonesia |
2.75% |
Saudi Arabia |
2.63% |
India |
2.29% |
France |
2.06% |
Philippines |
1.95% |
MK |
1.72% |
Croatia |
1.72% |
Romania |
1.60% |
Poland |
1.60% |
PC manufacturers
What PC manufacturers (OEMs) have it installed?
Hewlett-Packard |
30.57% |
|
Dell |
18.65% |
|
Acer |
17.62% |
|
ASUS |
8.81% |
|
Toshiba |
7.43% |
|
Samsung |
6.39% |
|
GIGABYTE |
4.49% |
|
Lenovo |
3.80% |
|
Intel |
0.86% |
|
MSI |
0.86% |
|
American Megatrends |
0.52% |
|
Common models |
HP Pavilion g6 Notebook P... |
7.14% |
|
HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook ... |
5.00% |
|
HP Pavilion dv7 Notebook ... |
3.57% |
|
Dell Inspiron N5110 |
3.21% |
|
Dell Inspiron 1545 |
2.86% |
|
Dell Inspiron N5050 |
2.86% |
|