Should I remove hosts2?
What percent of users and experts removed it?
74% remove it26% keep it
What do people think about it?
(click star to rate)
How common is it?
Global Rank #19,853
United States Rank #26,808
Reach 0.0111%
Lifespan of installation (until removal)
< 6.82 days
201.21 days >
Average installed length: 105.72 days
Versions
Version | Distribution |
1.27.153.8 |
100.00% |
|
Rankings
- #19,848 Zombie Alert by Creative Island Media
- #19,849 Pazera Free FLV to AVI Converter 1.5 by Jacek Pazera
- #19,850 Wondershare Video Editor(Build 3.5.0)
- #19,851 Autodesk DWG TrueView 2018 - English
- #19,852 Browser Tab Search by Ask for Internet Explorer by IAC Search and Media
- #19,853 hosts2 by DownLite
- #19,854 CopyFilenames 3.1 by ExtraBit Software
- #19,855 Addit! Pro For Flight Simulator X by Joseph Stearns
- #19,856 OKI Color Swatch-Dienstprogramm
- #19,857 Sheet Music Plus Digital Print
- #19,858 Jacquie Lawson Christmas Market by MicroCourt Limited
hosts2
from DownLite
What is hosts2?
hosts2 is a web browser extension that changes the browsers search and home pages as well as delivers. In order to provide search advertising revenue, the software is designed not only to modify the search provider but to protect it so that it remains the default browser search engine. It is typically installed via a bundled offer within a third-party software distribution.
What the toolbar does:
- Change of the default search engine, including the Browser's built-in search box, and address bar.
- Change of the default Home Page and/or New Tabs, and protect your search settings.
- Addition of alternative error page functionality, such as “Page Not Found”.
Overview
It adds a Browser Helper Object (BHO) to Internet Explorer. The main program executable is hosts2-bg.exe. Typically most users end up uninstalling this just after a few days. The software installer includes 9 files and is usually about 4.51 MB (4,725,717 bytes).
The program is built using the Crossrider framework, a cross browser monetization platform used to deploy a toolbar and extension for modern web browsers with monetization features including browser search and homepage redirection, contextual coupons and in-line text advertising. Crossrider extensions include background processes to monitor, update and automatically download new features/code without direct user interaction.
- Possible malware installed by this program
- Loads into the web browser
- Built on the Crossrider toolbar platform and potentially unwanted
- May inject ads in the web browser
- 'Offers' to modify the browser's home and search pages by default
- Hijacks the web browser's home page
- Hijacks the browser's default search provider
- The wisdom of the crowd agrees, you should remove it!
Warning, multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in hosts2.
hosts2-bg.exe (7d1e4528b3a1a268ff37441f530d53b4) has been flagged by the following 21 scanners: |
Anti-Virus software | Version | Detection |
Lavasoft Ad-Aware |
1104 |
Adware.Generic.587936 |
Antiy-AVL |
2.0.3.7 |
AdWare/Win32.Lyckriks |
Baidu-International |
4.0.3.14126 |
AdWare.Win32.Lyckriks.Autt |
Bitdefender |
1.0.20.130 |
Adware.Generic.587936 |
Dr.Web |
9.0.0.026 |
Trojan.Crossrider.1 |
Emsisoft Anti-Malware |
8.14.01.26.12 |
Adware.Generic.587936 |
ESET-NOD32 |
8.9271 |
a variant of Win32/Toolbar.CrossRider.H |
G Data |
14.1.22 |
Adware.Generic.587936 |
K7 AntiVirus |
13.175.10794 |
Trojan |
K7GW |
13.175.10794 |
Trojan ( 0048c1901 ) |
Kaspersky |
14.0.0.4407 |
not-a-virus:AdWare.Win32.Lyckriks |
Kingsoft AntiVirus |
331020.49267 |
Win32.Troj.Lyckriks.cw.(kcloud) |
McAfee |
5600.7238 |
Artemis!7D1E4528B3A1 |
McAfee-GW-Edition |
7.7238 |
Artemis!7D1E4528B3A1 |
MicroWorld-eScan |
15.0.0.78 |
Adware.Generic.587936 |
NANO AntiVirus |
0.28.0.57029 |
Trojan.Win32.Crossrider.cgsiwh |
nProtect |
14.01.09.01 |
Trojan-Clicker/W32.Lyckriks.896000 |
Sophos |
4.96 |
Generic PUA PE |
TrendMicro-HouseCall |
7.2.26 |
TROJ_GEN.R0CBH07A514 |
Vba32 AntiVirus |
3.12.24.3 |
AdWare.Lyckriks |
VIPRE Antivirus |
25262 |
Crossrider (fs) |
hosts2-bho.dll (db0912b64a992eef01cd74da81d0af18) has been flagged by the following 4 scanners: |
Anti-Virus software | Software version | Detection |
Dr.Web |
|
Trojan.Crossrider.1 |
Symantec |
20131.1.0.101 |
WS.Reputation.1 |
TrendMicro-HouseCall |
9.700.0.1001 |
TROJ_GEN.R0C9H01H813 |
VIPRE Antivirus |
21334 |
Crossrider (fs) |
View all 25 all detections
Program details
Installation folder: C:\Program Files\hosts2
Uninstaller: C:\Program Files\hosts2\Uninstall.exe /fromcontrolpanel=1
Estimated size: 4.51 MB
Files installed by hosts2
Program executable: | hosts2-bg.exe (Malware detected) |
Name: | hosts2 |
| hosts2 exe |
Path: | C:\Program Files\hosts2\hosts2-bg.exe |
MD5: | 7d1e4528b3a1a268ff37441f530d53b4 |
Additional files:
-
(Malware detected) hosts2-bho.dll - hosts2 (hosts2 BHO)
-
hosts2-buttonutil.exe - hosts2 exe
-
hosts2-buttonutil64.exe
-
hosts2-codedownloader.exe
-
Uninstall.exe - hosts2 Installer
-
hosts2-buttonutil.dll
-
hosts2-buttonutil64.dll
-
hosts2-helper.exe
Behaviors exhibited
Autoplay Handler
- hosts2-bg.exe is registered as an AutoPlay event handler named 'iTunesShowSongsOnArrival' with the ProgID of 'iTunes.ShowSongsOnCD' and the action verb 'showsongs.
Internet Explorer BHO
- hosts2-bho.dll is installed in Internet Explorer as a BHO (Browser Helper Object) under the name 'hosts2' with the class of {11111111-1111-1111-1111-110311691128} (CrossriderApp0036928).
How do I remove hosts2?
You can uninstall hosts2 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 hosts2, 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 hosts2.
- 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 hosts2 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.
USER ACTIONS
 |
Uninstall it 74%
Keep it 26%
|
|
|
GLOBAL RANK
#19,853
|
|
REACH
~0.01%
PC installation base
|
Windows
Which Windows OS versions does it run on?
Windows 7 |
65.30% |
|
Windows 10 |
24.20% |
|
Windows XP |
8.22% |
|
Windows Vista |
2.28% |
|
Which OS releases does it run on? |
Windows 7 Ultimate |
26.61% |
|
Windows 7 Home Premium |
21.10% |
|
Windows 7 Professional |
12.84% |
|
Microsoft Windows XP |
8.26% |
|
Windows 8 Pro |
4.59% |
|
Windows 8 |
4.13% |
|
Geography
26.01% of installs come from the United States
Which countries install it?
United States |
26.01% |
MA |
12.56% |
Israel |
7.62% |
Sweden |
6.73% |
DZ |
5.83% |
Saudi Arabia |
3.59% |
TN |
2.69% |
LY |
1.79% |
SY |
1.79% |
Australia |
1.35% |
Canada |
1.35% |
DK |
1.35% |
Jordan |
1.35% |
Malaysia |
1.35% |
PC manufacturers
What PC manufacturers (OEMs) have it installed?
Hewlett-Packard |
33.76% |
|
Dell |
14.65% |
|
Acer |
14.01% |
|
ASUS |
12.10% |
|
Toshiba |
7.64% |
|
GIGABYTE |
7.01% |
|
Samsung |
4.46% |
|
Lenovo |
3.18% |
|
Intel |
1.91% |
|
Sony |
1.27% |
|
Common models |
HP Pavilion g6 Notebook P... |
5.65% |
|
HP Pavilion dv7 Notebook ... |
3.23% |
|
HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook ... |
3.23% |
|
HP 2000 Notebook PC |
2.42% |
|
HP Pavilion dv5 Notebook ... |
2.42% |
|
Dell Inspiron N5110 |
2.42% |
|