I found this to be quite alarming when I found that sites I blocked using HOSTS were still accessible by Safari. My HOSTS file consists of many automatically added entries by Spybot S&D and SpywareBlaster and similar programs, but I also have some user added entries also. It is a 228KB file, and a small segment that I added looks like this:

127.0.0.1 myspace.com
127.0.0.1 www.myspace.com
127.0.0.1 ca.myspace.com

I found it to be inaccessible by all user accounts using Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera and Flock. However, I tried accessing it using Safari and it was completely accessible! This applies to all user accounts. Initially I thought it was cached, but I emptied the cache and history and it still worked.

Isn't the HOSTS file supposed to be network-wide? If so, how is Safari accessing it? If it only applies to Internet Explorer, then how come it is still working with Firefox, Flock and Opera?

I need to block sites in Safari and it doesn't seem to include any plugins to do this effective (I'm using Windows btw, not a Mac).

Is the "DNS client" service running on your PC?

Yes, it's Automatic and without it, I would need to type in IP addresses to access sites instead of domain names.

No you don't, the only thing it does is caching dns entries, I have it disabled for years and I can still type normal urls .

So are you saying that if I disable it, the HOSTS file would be effective on Safari also?

You can try that, remember, system preferences when it comes to networking on the Apple is only really linked to Safari. If you change it, it shouldn't affect Firefox and etc.

xboxrulz

Did you forget to read that I was running Windows? Anyways, the site is still accessible, DNS Client running or stopped.

It isn't working in Windows Vista either, is Safari "special" or something?? Are there any Windows plugins for it to block website (a blacklist)?

Interesting enough that Safari runs all Mozilla plug-ins, but since they keep with their own design methods, many of the software itself is self-contained unlike traditional Windows software, so that in itself maybe a problem. There are no HOSTS problem on the MacOS X version. Try another Webkit web browser to see if it's just Safari or is it a Webkit issue.

xboxrulz