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Submitted URL:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2764944
Effective URL:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/hosts-file-is-detected-as-malware-in-windows-defender-4320fa8b-0d54-1129-db85-61f095...
Submission: On November 11 via api (November 11th 2022, 6:50:27 pm UTC) from CA — Scanned from CA

Form analysis
3 forms found in the DOM

Name: searchForm — GET /en-us/Search/results

<form class="c-search" autocomplete="off" id="searchForm" name="searchForm" role="search" action="/en-us/Search/results" method="GET"
  data-seautosuggest="{&quot;queryParams&quot;:{&quot;market&quot;:&quot;en-us&quot;,&quot;clientId&quot;:&quot;7F27B536-CF6B-4C65-8638-A0F8CBDFCA65&quot;,&quot;sources&quot;:&quot;Microsoft-Terms,Iris-Products,DCatAll-Products&quot;,&quot;filter&quot;:&quot;+ClientType:StoreWeb&quot;,&quot;counts&quot;:&quot;5,1,5&quot;},&quot;familyNames&quot;:{&quot;Apps&quot;:&quot;App&quot;,&quot;Books&quot;:&quot;Book&quot;,&quot;Bundles&quot;:&quot;Bundle&quot;,&quot;Devices&quot;:&quot;Device&quot;,&quot;Fees&quot;:&quot;Fee&quot;,&quot;Games&quot;:&quot;Game&quot;,&quot;MusicAlbums&quot;:&quot;Album&quot;,&quot;MusicTracks&quot;:&quot;Song&quot;,&quot;MusicVideos&quot;:&quot;Video&quot;,&quot;MusicArtists&quot;:&quot;Artist&quot;,&quot;OperatingSystem&quot;:&quot;Operating System&quot;,&quot;Software&quot;:&quot;Software&quot;,&quot;Movies&quot;:&quot;Movie&quot;,&quot;TV&quot;:&quot;TV&quot;,&quot;CSV&quot;:&quot;Gift Card&quot;,&quot;VideoActor&quot;:&quot;Actor&quot;}}"
  data-seautosuggestapi="https://www.microsoft.com/msstoreapiprod/api/autosuggest"
  data-m="{&quot;cN&quot;:&quot;GlobalNav_Search_cont&quot;,&quot;cT&quot;:&quot;Container&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;c3c1c9c3m1r1a1&quot;,&quot;sN&quot;:3,&quot;aN&quot;:&quot;c1c9c3m1r1a1&quot;}" aria-expanded="false" style="overflow-x: visible;">
  <div class="x-screen-reader" aria-live="assertive"></div>
  <input id="cli_shellHeaderSearchInput" aria-label="Search Expanded" aria-autocomplete="list" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="universal-header-search-auto-suggest-transparent" aria-owns="universal-header-search-auto-suggest-ul" type="search"
    name="query" role="combobox" placeholder="Search for help" data-m="{&quot;cN&quot;:&quot;SearchBox_nav&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;n1c3c1c9c3m1r1a1&quot;,&quot;sN&quot;:1,&quot;aN&quot;:&quot;c3c1c9c3m1r1a1&quot;}" data-toggle="tooltip"
    data-placement="right" title="Search for help" style="overflow-x: visible;">
  <button id="search" aria-label="Search for help" class="c-glyph" data-m="{&quot;cN&quot;:&quot;Search_nav&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;n2c3c1c9c3m1r1a1&quot;,&quot;sN&quot;:2,&quot;aN&quot;:&quot;c3c1c9c3m1r1a1&quot;}" data-bi-mto="true"
    aria-expanded="false" style="overflow-x: visible;">
    <span role="presentation" style="overflow-x: visible;">Search</span>
    <span role="tooltip" class="c-uhf-tooltip c-uhf-search-tooltip" style="overflow-x: visible;">Search for help</span>
  </button>
  <div class="m-auto-suggest" id="universal-header-search-auto-suggest-transparent" role="group" style="overflow-x: visible;">
    <ul class="c-menu" id="universal-header-search-auto-suggest-ul" aria-label="Search Suggestions" aria-hidden="true" data-bi-dnt="true" data-bi-mto="true" data-js-auto-suggest-position="default" role="listbox" data-tel="jsll"
      data-m="{&quot;cN&quot;:&quot;search suggestions_cont&quot;,&quot;cT&quot;:&quot;Container&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;c3c3c1c9c3m1r1a1&quot;,&quot;sN&quot;:3,&quot;aN&quot;:&quot;c3c1c9c3m1r1a1&quot;}" style="overflow-x: visible;"></ul>
    <ul class="c-menu f-auto-suggest-no-results" aria-hidden="true" data-js-auto-suggest-postion="default" data-js-auto-suggest-position="default" role="listbox" style="overflow-x: visible;">
      <li class="c-menu-item" style="overflow-x: visible;"> <span tabindex="-1" style="overflow-x: visible;">No results</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>
</form>

GET /en-US/search/results

<form class="searchBoxForm" method="GET" action="/en-US/search/results" autocomplete="off"><input class="searchBoxInput" name="query" type="search" maxlength="100" placeholder="How can we help you?" aria-label="How can we help you?" value=""><input
    type="hidden" name="isEnrichedQuery" value="false"><button class="searchBoxButton" type="submit" title="Search" data-bi-mto="true" aria-hidden="true"><span
      class="searchBoxIconContainer"><i class="searchBoxIcon icon-mdl2 icon-forward"></i></span></button></form>

Name: smartFeedbackForm — javascript:void(0);

<form action="javascript:void(0);" id="extendedFeedbackForm" name="smartFeedbackForm" class="smartFeedbackForm supStickyFeedbackMarginBottom">
  <div class="ocSmartFeedbackBegin extendedFeedbackArticleInfoUseful" role="region" aria-label="Provide feedback about this article">
    <div id="beginFeedbackHeader" class="supStickyFeedbackHeader">
      <h2 class="boldFont">Was this information helpful?</h2>
    </div>
    <div class="feedbackButtons">
      <button class="ocFeedbackButton supStickyFeedbackButton feedbackSelection feedbackButtonBlue" name="buttonYes" type="button" data-bi-id="buttonYes" data-bi-mto="">Yes</button>
      <button class="ocFeedbackButton supStickyFeedbackButton feedbackSelection feedbackButtonBlue" name="buttonNo" type="button" data-bi-id="buttonNo" data-bi-mto="">No</button>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div id="extendedFeedback" class="ocSmartFeedbackReply ocHidden">
    <div id="extendedFeedbackHeader" class="supStickyFeedbackHeader">
      <label for="feedbackText" class="ocFeedbackHeaderIfArticleHelpful ocHidden">
        <span class="boldFont" aria-hidden="true">Thank you! Any more feedback?</span> (The more you tell us the more we can help.) </label>
      <label for="feedbackText" class="ocFeedbackHeaderIfArticleNotHelpful ocHidden">
        <span class="boldFont" aria-hidden="true">Can you help us improve?</span> (The more you tell us the more we can help.) </label>
    </div>
    <fieldset id="extendedFeedbackArticleExperience" class="feedbackGroup">
      <legend class="extendedFeedbackQuestionLabels">What affected your experience?</legend>
      <div class="ocFeedbackHeaderIfArticleHelpful ocHidden">
        <div id="articleExperience_helpful_0">
          <div class="experienceOption">
            <label class="articleExperienceOptionsLabels">
              <input class="articleExperienceOptionsCheckbox" type="checkbox" tabindex="-1" id="helpful_0" name="helpful_0" value="Resolved my issue" data-bi-dnt="">
              <span class="checkboxTick" tabindex="0" role="checkbox" aria-label="Resolved my issue"></span>
              <span class="experienceOptionLabels">Resolved my issue</span>
            </label>
          </div>
          <div class="experienceOption">
            <label class="articleExperienceOptionsLabels">
              <input class="articleExperienceOptionsCheckbox" type="checkbox" tabindex="-1" id="helpful_1" name="helpful_1" value="Clear instructions" data-bi-dnt="">
              <span class="checkboxTick" tabindex="0" role="checkbox" aria-label="Clear instructions"></span>
              <span class="experienceOptionLabels">Clear instructions</span>
            </label>
          </div>
        </div>
        <div id="articleExperience_helpful_1">
          <div class="experienceOption">
            <label class="articleExperienceOptionsLabels">
              <input class="articleExperienceOptionsCheckbox" type="checkbox" tabindex="-1" id="helpful_2" name="helpful_2" value="Easy to follow" data-bi-dnt="">
              <span class="checkboxTick" tabindex="0" role="checkbox" aria-label="Easy to follow"></span>
              <span class="experienceOptionLabels">Easy to follow</span>
            </label>
          </div>
          <div class="experienceOption">
            <label class="articleExperienceOptionsLabels">
              <input class="articleExperienceOptionsCheckbox" type="checkbox" tabindex="-1" id="helpful_3" name="helpful_3" value="No jargon" data-bi-dnt="">
              <span class="checkboxTick" tabindex="0" role="checkbox" aria-label="No jargon"></span>
              <span class="experienceOptionLabels">No jargon</span>
            </label>
          </div>
        </div>
        <div id="articleExperience_helpful_2">
          <div class="experienceOption">
            <label class="articleExperienceOptionsLabels">
              <input class="articleExperienceOptionsCheckbox" type="checkbox" tabindex="-1" id="helpful_4" name="helpful_4" value="Pictures helped" data-bi-dnt="">
              <span class="checkboxTick" tabindex="0" role="checkbox" aria-label="Pictures helped"></span>
              <span class="experienceOptionLabels">Pictures helped</span>
            </label>
          </div>
          <div class="experienceOption">
            <label class="articleExperienceOptionsLabels">
              <input class="articleExperienceOptionsCheckbox" type="checkbox" tabindex="-1" id="helpful_5" name="helpful_5" value="Other" data-bi-dnt="">
              <span class="checkboxTick" tabindex="0" role="checkbox" aria-label="Other"></span>
              <span class="experienceOptionLabels">Other</span>
            </label>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
      <div class="ocFeedbackHeaderIfArticleNotHelpful ocHidden">
        <div id="articleExperience_notHelpful_0">
          <div class="experienceOption">
            <label class="articleExperienceOptionsLabels">
              <input class="articleExperienceOptionsCheckbox" type="checkbox" tabindex="-1" id="notHelpful_0" name="notHelpful_0" value="Didn't match my screen" data-bi-dnt="">
              <span class="checkboxTick" tabindex="0" role="checkbox" aria-label="Didn't match my screen"></span>
              <span class="experienceOptionLabels">Didn't match my screen</span>
            </label>
          </div>
          <div class="experienceOption">
            <label class="articleExperienceOptionsLabels">
              <input class="articleExperienceOptionsCheckbox" type="checkbox" tabindex="-1" id="notHelpful_1" name="notHelpful_1" value="Incorrect instructions" data-bi-dnt="">
              <span class="checkboxTick" tabindex="0" role="checkbox" aria-label="Incorrect instructions"></span>
              <span class="experienceOptionLabels">Incorrect instructions</span>
            </label>
          </div>
        </div>
        <div id="articleExperience_notHelpful_1">
          <div class="experienceOption">
            <label class="articleExperienceOptionsLabels">
              <input class="articleExperienceOptionsCheckbox" type="checkbox" tabindex="-1" id="notHelpful_2" name="notHelpful_2" value="Too technical" data-bi-dnt="">
              <span class="checkboxTick" tabindex="0" role="checkbox" aria-label="Too technical"></span>
              <span class="experienceOptionLabels">Too technical</span>
            </label>
          </div>
          <div class="experienceOption">
            <label class="articleExperienceOptionsLabels">
              <input class="articleExperienceOptionsCheckbox" type="checkbox" tabindex="-1" id="notHelpful_3" name="notHelpful_3" value="Not enough information" data-bi-dnt="">
              <span class="checkboxTick" tabindex="0" role="checkbox" aria-label="Not enough information"></span>
              <span class="experienceOptionLabels">Not enough information</span>
            </label>
          </div>
        </div>
        <div id="articleExperience_notHelpful_2">
          <div class="experienceOption">
            <label class="articleExperienceOptionsLabels">
              <input class="articleExperienceOptionsCheckbox" type="checkbox" tabindex="-1" id="notHelpful_4" name="notHelpful_4" value="Not enough pictures" data-bi-dnt="">
              <span class="checkboxTick" tabindex="0" role="checkbox" aria-label="Not enough pictures"></span>
              <span class="experienceOptionLabels">Not enough pictures</span>
            </label>
          </div>
          <div class="experienceOption">
            <label class="articleExperienceOptionsLabels">
              <input class="articleExperienceOptionsCheckbox" type="checkbox" tabindex="-1" id="notHelpful_5" name="notHelpful_5" value="Other" data-bi-dnt="">
              <span class="checkboxTick" tabindex="0" role="checkbox" aria-label="Other"></span>
              <span class="experienceOptionLabels">Other</span>
            </label>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </fieldset>
    <div id="extendedFeedbackVerbatim" class="verbatimFeedback feedbackGroup">
      <label for="verbatimFeedbackInput" class="extendedFeedbackQuestionLabels">Any additional feedback? (Optional)</label>
      <textarea id="verbatimFeedbackInput" class="ocSmartFeedbackTextArea" name="feedbackText" rows="6" cols="40" maxlength="250"
        placeholder="To protect your privacy, do not provide any personal information such as email address, phone number, product key, password, or credit card number."></textarea>
    </div>
    <div id="extendedFeedbackFormSubmit" class="feedbackButtons">
      <button id="buttonFeedbackVerbatimSubmit" class="ocFeedbackButton supStickyFeedbackButton ocButtonSendComment feedbackButtonBlue" type="submit" data-bi-id="buttonFeedbackVerbatimSubmit" data-bi-mto="" disabled="">Submit feedback</button>
    </div>
  </div>
</form>

Text Content

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HOSTS FILE IS DETECTED AS MALWARE IN WINDOWS DEFENDER

Windows 8 Windows 8 Pro Windows 8 Enterprise More...Less


SYMPTOMS

Consider the following scenario:

 * You install Windows 8.

 * You change the Hosts file by specifying custom IP-address-to-host-name
   mappings to prevent users from browsing to some websites.

 * You run a scan in Microsoft Windows Defender.

In this scenario, the Hosts file is detected as
a SettingsModifier:Win32/PossibleHostsFileHijack malware threat by Windows
Defender.




CAUSE

This issue occurs because Windows Defender may determine incorrectly that the
Hosts file was changed by malware, such as adware or spyware. Typically, malware
programs change the Hosts file to redirect users to malicious websites.
Therefore, Windows Defender may detect the Hosts file as a security threat.


RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, exclude the Hosts file from scanning in Windows Defender.
To do this, follow these steps:

 1. Open Windows Defender.

 2. On the Settings tab, click Excluded files and locations.

 3. Under File locations, click Browse.

 4. Locate and then click the Hosts file.
    
    Note By default, the Hosts file is located in the
    %systemroot%\system32\drivers\etc folder.

 5. Click Add, and then click Save changes.
    
    

 6. Exit Windows Defender.





REFERENCES

For more information about the SettingsModifier:Win32/PossibleHostsFileHijack
malware threat, go to the following Microsoft Malware Protection Center
encyclopedia entry:

SettingsModifier:Win32/PossibleHostsFileHijack

For information about how to reset the Hosts file to the default settings, click
the following article number to go to the article in the Microsoft Knowledge
Base:


972034 How can I reset the Hosts file back to the default?


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