BTW I tested the ip using a dnsquery once I blocked it, and it didn’t work. Also, most CR links refer to http://www.theyeshivaworld.com and would not work once blocked.
Do you mean that your lookup software returned your own IP? I was talking about getting the IP from a website that does that service.
I have a website on my own computer without any network, and I want to use something fancier than ‘localhost’. Also, I have multiple sites running. Using the HOSTS file is definitely the best and easiest way.
I never heard that about malware using it. I guess another benefit of using it myself, is to get to check who else is lurking about. What I did see once was the proxy of the browser set to local IP with some funny port. A friend of mine, after running anti-malware, couldn’t browse anymore. After looking through the settings, I noticed that proxy, a vestige of the virus (I hope).