[whacker]

I think (on linux, at least), its better to implement this as a nss- module (/etc/nsswitch.conf). You can do things like lookup a hashtable, automatically update databases, etc without having to rewrite system config files.

Also this does not protect you from programs that perform their own dns lookups, and ignore /etc/hosts and /etc/resolv.conf entirely!

[StavrosK]

What's the advantage of that? How does it protect you against programs that perform their own lookups?

[whacker]

oh nss modules wouldn't either. Perhaps intercepting and rewriting every dns request would be needed.