The recent Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal has proved that user data can be harvested and used for any purpose by almost anyone without explicit consent. Therefore, it is imperative that one secures his/her online experience from tracking sites, intrusive ads, and deceptive pop-ups. One way to accomplish this is by editing the Hosts file. The Hosts file in any OS contains references to domain names and their corresponding IP addresses. Knowing how to edit the Hosts file can be very useful in preventing access to malicious websites, redirection to other sites, blocking intrusive ads, creating shortcuts to websites, and a lot more. The Hosts file is the same in Windows, macOS, and Linux although, the method of getting access and editing it might have some variations. This guide aims to comprehensively detail the purpose of the Hosts file and how you can use it to secure your online experience.
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