Suggestion for autoupdate feature

[toadlife]

ONe of my coworkers used my computer while I was away and when I got back I found that a search-bar has been installed. I don't use IE for anything bu Windows Update, so I don't have many spyware problems, but since my coworker so kindly infected my computer, I was forced to go out and download a few spyware-removal programs. I had trouble downloading some as the sites seemed to be down, and once I found working download links and got the various programs installed, the autoupdate feature on ALL of the programs didn't work. This seemed fishy since jsut about any other site worked fine, so I opened up my hosts file and found THIS...

{QUOTE->
127.0.0.0 localhost
127.0.0.1 and.doxdesk.com
127.0.0.2 auditmypc.com
127.0.0.3 boards.cexx.org
127.0.0.4 bulletproofsoft.net
127.0.0.5 camtech2000.net
127.0.0.6 cexx.org
127.0.0.7 computercops.us
127.0.0.8 ct7support.com
127.0.0.9 doxdesk.com
127.0.0.10 eblocs.com
127.0.0.11 enigmasoftwaregroup.com
127.0.0.12 forum.aumha.org
127.0.0.13 free-spyware-scan.com
127.0.0.14 free-web-browsers.com
127.0.0.15 grc.com
127.0.0.16 grisoft.com
127.0.0.17 hackfaq.org
127.0.0.18 hazeleger.net
127.0.0.19 javacoolsoftware.com
127.0.0.20 kellys-korner-xp.com
127.0.0.21 kephyr.com
127.0.0.22 lavasoft.de
127.0.0.23 lavasoftusa.com
127.0.0.24 lurkhere.com
127.0.0.25 majorgeeks.com
127.0.0.26 merijn.org
127.0.0.27 mjc1.com
127.0.0.28 moosoft.com
127.0.0.29 mvps.org
127.0.0.30 net-integration.net
127.0.0.31 noadware.net
127.0.0.32 no-spybot.com
127.0.0.33 onlinepcfix.com
127.0.0.34 pchell.com
127.0.0.35 pestpatrol.com
127.0.0.36 safer-networking.org
127.0.0.37 secure.spykiller.com
127.0.0.38 secureie.com
127.0.0.39 security.kolla.de
127.0.0.40 spybot.info
127.0.0.41 spychecker.com
127.0.0.42 spychecker.com
127.0.0.43 spycop.com
127.0.0.44 spyguard.com
127.0.0.45 spykiller.com
127.0.0.46 spyware.co.uk
127.0.0.47 spyware-cop.com
127.0.0.48 spywareinfo.com
127.0.0.49 spywarenuker.com
127.0.0.50 spywareremove.com
127.0.0.51 spywareremove.com
127.0.0.52 stopzillapro.com
127.0.0.53 sunbelt-software.com
127.0.0.54 thiefware.com
127.0.0.55 tomcoyote.org
127.0.0.56 unwantedlinks.com
127.0.0.57 webattack.com
127.0.0.58 wilders.org
127.0.0.59 www.auditmypc.com
127.0.0.60 www.bulletproofsoft.net
127.0.0.61 www.cexx.org
127.0.0.62 www.computercops.us
127.0.0.63 www.ct7support.com
127.0.0.64 www.doxdesk.com
127.0.0.65 www.eblocs.com
127.0.0.66 www.enigmasoftwaregroup.com
127.0.0.67 www.free-spyware-scan.com
127.0.0.68 www.free-web-browsers.com
127.0.0.69 www.grc.com
127.0.0.70 www.grisoft.com
127.0.0.71 www.hackfaq.org
127.0.0.72 www.hazeleger.net
127.0.0.73 www.javacoolsoftware.com
127.0.0.74 www.kellys-korner-xp.com
127.0.0.75 www.kephyr.com
127.0.0.76 www.lavasoft.de
127.0.0.77 www.lavasoftusa.com
127.0.0.78 www.lurkhere.com
127.0.0.79 www.majorgeeks.com
127.0.0.80 www.merijn.org
127.0.0.81 www.mjc1.com
127.0.0.82 www.moosoft.com
127.0.0.83 www.mvps.org
127.0.0.84 www.net-integration.net
127.0.0.85 www.noadware.net
127.0.0.86 www.no-spybot.com
127.0.0.87 www.onlinepcfix.com
127.0.0.88 www.pchell.com
127.0.0.89 www.pestpatrol.com
127.0.0.90 www.safer-networking.org
127.0.0.91 www.secureie.com
127.0.0.92 www.security.kolla.de
127.0.0.93 www.spybot.info
127.0.0.94 www.spychecker.com
127.0.0.95 www.spychecker.com
127.0.0.96 www.spycop.com
127.0.0.97 www.spyguard.com
127.0.0.98 www.spykiller.com
127.0.0.99 www.spyware.co.uk
127.0.0.100 www.spyware-cop.com
127.0.0.101 www.spywareinfo.com
127.0.0.102 www.spywarenuker.com
127.0.0.103 www.spywareremove.com
127.0.0.104 www.spywareremove.com
127.0.0.105 www.stopzillapro.com
127.0.0.106 www.sunbelt-software.com
127.0.0.107 www.thiefware.com
127.0.0.108 www.tomcoyote.org
127.0.0.109 www.unwantedlinks.com
127.0.0.110 www.webattack.com
127.0.0.111 www.wilders.org
<-QUOTE}

I would suggest having the program do a check of the hosts file before attempting to check for updates. This would eliminate this little 'trick' these spyware a--holes use to keep their viruses on people's PC's.