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Hosts file

A Hosts file is a file that maps host names to IP addresses. It is used by a computer to resolve what IP address to go to when a user attempts to go to a certain URL. While this action can be done for legitimate purposes, such as blocking non-authorized websites in a corporate environment, the Hosts file can also be edited for malicious purposes. Certain malware edit the Hosts file so that when a user attempts to access a certain legitimate website, the browser is instead redirected to a malware site.

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