MacOS – What are these google host entries that keep showing up automatically in the etc/hosts file

hostsmacos

I went to edit my /etc/hosts file and found a bunch of entries for google urls that I never put there. When I try to delete it, it just comes back. I tried searching google for it but to no avail. Here is a small sampling of the entries:

216.239.32.20 www.google.ac # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.ad # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.ae # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.al # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.am # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.as # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.at # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.az # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.ba # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.be # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.bf # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.bg # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.bi # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.bj # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.bs # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.bt # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.by # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.ca # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.cat # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.cc # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.cd # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.cf # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.cg # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.ch # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.ci # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.cl # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.cm # __CE_WATERMARK__
216.239.32.20 www.google.cn # __CE_WATERMARK__

It goes on for about 242 lines. Any insight would be appreciated.

Best Answer

216.239.32.20 seems to be a legit Google Inc. IP-address - so nothing to worry about in the first instance: Please check herdprotect.com.

The behavior is probably related to Kaspersky Security. Check this thread at discussions.apple.com.

To prevent the flooding of your hosts file uninstall Kaspersky Security. Then clean it up by editing it with sudo nano /etc/hosts.

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