Windoze allows an effective way of filtering unwanted connections using the hosts file (this file sits for win98 in c:\windows, for win2K in c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc and for Win XP c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc) and is called simply hosts, with no extension. You can have a look and modify it using ultraedit or any other texteditor). The hosts file is your 'personal DNS server': before accessing any remote computer through a name to address lookup, windows checks the hosts file to see if the name has been defined as an address ALREADY in hosts (note that this is meant to speed up the web connections you use more often: indeed if you know for sure that a site will always have the same IP, you can add it yourself to the hosts file and avoid to connect everytime to the DNS server). Through use of the hosts file we can list the names of all servers we don't wish to contact by letting the server name match a different address. Typically the address used would be the 'bounce-back' localhost address 127.0.0.1. Note that you may try 0.0.0.0. as well, and get speedier elimination results than with 127.0.0.1. Should it fail, just use 127.0.0.1. as elimination address. Some more important points to consider: You must maintain the proper format or else the entry will be invalid Entries that contain "http:" or an ending "\" slash are invalid Remember that the HOSTS file must be in capital letters place a "#" in front of the line in order to disable an entry Make the HOSTS file raed-only, so that noone can hijack it (at the command prompt, type: attrib +R c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\HOSTS and then press ENTER) Hosts scrolls (lists of annoying spammers) abound on the web, but not all of them are really useful. The most useful and powerful hosts scrolls are considered very precious items by seekers. A particolarly annoying malware is "the right click inside windows ecplorer itself", that will redirect you to crl.verisign.net or to crl.verisign.com delivering info about what you are clicking onto to the bastards spyware masters. The technique to get rid of verisign crap (and to speed up your computer everytime rightclicking will start to be particolarly slow) is to add to your HOSTS file (In windows XP inside C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc) the following two lines: 127.0.0.1 crl.verisign.net 127.0.0.1 crl.verisign.com This will work wonders in order to speed up your hijacked rightclicks :-) Various small essays about hosts redirection [Removing banners] A whole section with some fundamental essays elf's [HOSTS list] [hosts_11.txt]: XXXX's HOSTS file (September 2000) [hosts_al.txt]: Anonymous Lee's HOSTS file (July 2004) [gorhost.htm]: Gordon and -Tx explanations about the use of Gordon's mighty hosts file of incredible power (June 1999) NME's [sblock list] (comment removed) [fau_zar.htm]: Search Engine pitfalls and how to strike back (Using our knowledge and the depth of the web to fight our commercial enemies), by Zarathustra, written in february 2001.

Precious Item

With our black firewall shields
with our glistening browsers swords
with our magic pouch 
full of tricks to cast
beware us webmasters
out of our way, advertisers
bow down in worship very low
bow down before our singing hosts
and in our holy presence be lost

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• Steve Gibson's [Aureate discussion] you can download [here] his 'opt out' utility against spyware.
  (Steve is a good guy and a fine assembler programmer -his "spyware removal tool" has been written in assembly and weights only 31 kbytes - but he does not like Blackice (a wonderful personal firewall) and seems to have been scared by the Aureate info-thiefs' lawyers to the point to state, now, that he likes 'the idea of advertising-supported software' :-(

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• Read [Shareware Going Ad-ware] by Kept_Anonymous about Aureate, written in June 1999
  

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• [fra_22.htm]  The aureate scam... and how to scam aureate, by fravia+ part of the [removing banners] section.