Hosts file

should the Hosts file be made read only ?

It's been a long time since I've had to edit a host file, but I was under the impression that the file was read-only by default.

The hosts file isn't read only in Windows 7 but can only be modified by an elevated admin account. I don't know about Windows 10. Making it read only might help to avoid accidental changes but that would seem unlikely in any event. Windows never changes the file after installation but some third party applications do.

But as a security measure making a file read only is essentially useless. The setting does not actually prevent modification but only serves as an advisory that the file should not be modified. Windows Explorer honors this advisory but if a program wishes to modify the file it can simply ignore the setting and make whatever changes it wishes.

I would simply leave the setting as it is.

Thanks guys will leave it alone.