HOSTS file empty, what app stripped all my mods?

[camo7782]

Today I opened my HOSTS file (C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc) as usual just to find it totally empty (0 byte) I wonder what app did this, I have tesed and currenlty run a few apps, that comes on my mind here are the few that I remember:

- Emsisoft
- OS Armor
- SysHardener
- Comodo Firewall (removed)
- Bit Defender (removed)
- G Data IS (removed)

I was unable to find any backup copy, I wonder what app and why it stripped all my hosts file without a warning or without making a copy first.

 

[SeriousHoax]

Bitdefender put hash # in front of every entry of my host file without asking me but it didn't remove anything so from your list Bitdefender is not the culprit I guess and I also used Emsisoft & OS Armor and they don't something like that either so something else.

 

[Threadripper]

Emsisoft actually warns about HOSTS file changes and mine is fine.

 

[AriDfoix]

Not SysHardener, you shouldn't rely on the hosts file as a blocking method, use instead an upstream DNS server of yours, like PiHole, AdGuard Home, etc...

Also when those applications do that, there is always a reason...

 

[codswollip]

You should be able to pull a HOSTS from a previous drive image... you do back up your PC?

 

[camo7782]

You should be able to pull a HOSTS from a previous drive image... you do back up your PC?

I do but keep only a limited amount of images, hosts file was stripped before apparently

Also when those applications do that, there is always a reason...

You mean it was some green alien doing that?