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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: REDACTED on August 12, 2018, 04:09:50 AM

Title: My windows hosts file changed somehow.
Post by: REDACTED on August 12, 2018, 04:09:50 AM

Is this normal?

72.246.103.19 v6197912.iavs9x.u.avast.com

Title: Re: My windows hosts file changed somehow.
Post by: mchain on August 12, 2018, 06:27:58 AM

What is the question?

Title: Re: My windows hosts file changed somehow.
Post by: REDACTED on August 12, 2018, 06:41:12 AM

When I checked my hosts file, a strange ip was added for 'v6197912.iavs9x.u.avast.com'.

I was wondering if the Avast Antivirus service added that or some virus/malware caused it.

Title: Re: My windows hosts file changed somehow.
Post by: mchain on August 12, 2018, 06:49:41 AM

https://www.findip-address.com/72.246.103.19 (https://www.findip-address.com/72.246.103.19)
IP identified as akamaitechnologies.com

Do you think avast is the source of your malware infection?

Title: Re: My windows hosts file changed somehow.
Post by: REDACTED on August 12, 2018, 06:57:40 AM

Well, I am not blaming avast for malware infection right now, although it's supposed to protect me from it.

As I said I was just wondering if it is something that I have to worry about.

Title: Re: My windows hosts file changed somehow.
Post by: DavidR on August 12, 2018, 10:24:16 AM

Looks more like an avast update server address v6197912.iavs9x.u.avast.com provided by Akamai (Akamai: Cloud Delivery, Performance, and Security) a CND Content Delivery Network.

Though why or who it would be added to the HOSTS file, I don't know. There is nothing in my HOSTS file for my Win10 or winXP systems, I haven't checked my win7 system.

Title: Re: My windows hosts file changed somehow.
Post by: bob3160 on August 12, 2018, 04:21:08 PM

Reported to Avast.
I also don't have anything like that in my host file.

Title: Re: My windows hosts file changed somehow.
Post by: bob3160 on August 17, 2018, 10:36:52 PM

Quote from: gorgone_00 on August 12, 2018, 06:57:40 AM

Well, I am not blaming avast for malware infection right now, although it's supposed to protect me from it.

As I said I was just wondering if it is something that I have to worry about.

Make sure the Self Defense Module is turned on:
(https://screencast-o-matic.com/screenshots/u/Lh/1534537985693-56345.png)
Here's the reply I received from Avast:
"Sorry, I am not aware of any Avast component, which would add such line into etc\hosts file
In fact, self defense (if enabled) should remove such lines automatically"