History Archive 2007

Current updates and notifications are maintained on the Change Log, Notifications page.

ConFetch Version History

December 8, 2007: If you use ConFetch Ultra v. 13.7.4.25 you should run the built-in updater to download and install multiple ConFetch improvements. This notification does not apply to other versions of ConFetch.

These changes include a replacement of the deprecated "BOOT" file previously called "Bleeding Threat's Blackhole List" with their RBN Blackhole one.
The new file that ConFetch will use is located here: RussianBusinessNetworkIPs.txt from the Bleeding Edge Threats site (Text format) - bleedboot.cmd

December 3, 2007: If you use ConFetch Ultra v. 13.7.4.25 you should run the built-in updater to download and install multiple ConFetch improvements. This notification does not apply to other versions of ConFetch.

These changes include this year's update to the newest DNS Poisoners List. The latest (2007) collection is located at the following link (note that it may take 30 seconds or so to download this list on the first attempt using ConFetch Ultra but "Ultra" will use a local backup after that):
DNS Poisoners List 2007 from the Measurement-Factory (List format) - poisoners.cmd

November 15, 2007: If you use ConFetch Ultra v. 13.7.4.25 you should run the built-in updater to download and install multiple ConFetch improvements. This notification does not apply to other versions of ConFetch.

October 13, 2007: If your version of ConFetch includes the bogons.cmd component you should run the built-in updater to retrieve an update for that file. The current data downloaded by ConFetch is stale and the source has been changed to another excellent Bogons list by Team Cymru. The new list used by ConFetch is the Text Bogon List, Unaggregated which ConFetch modifies to exclude localhost and RFC1918 netblocks, as well as the 169.254.0.0/16 address range (if you need to block any of those, please consider doing so at your firewall or router). The new source's server accommodates time-stamping so you will only retrieve newer files no matter how many times you run ConFetch. Quoted from the Cymru site: "The IANA IPv4 allocation list is polled daily and any changes are noted. Within 24 hours the myriad templates are updated and notifications are sent to several lists."

August 15, 2007: If you use one of the eight ConFetch *.6.9.6 versions (including PRO or LSE) you should run the built-in updater to download and install multiple minor improvements. This notification does not apply to ConFetch Ultra v. 13.7.4.25 (see "August 9, 2007" below regarding recent Ultra improvements).

August 9, 2007: If you use ConFetch Ultra v. 13.7.4.25 you should run the built-in updater to download and install multiple ConFetch improvements. This notification does not apply to other versions of ConFetch. Ultra is currently the only version available for 64-bit Windows operating systems and requires a custom installation of TreeWalk DNS "Hawk" v. 8.21 (see Vista and ConFetch Ultra below for more details).

June 2, 2007: (32-bit versions are not affected.) If you have already installed "Ultra" on 64-bit Windows prior to June 2, 2007, you should download a new copy of ConFetch Ultra .exe and re-install v. 13.7.4.25 after first uninstalling your previous copy. This change provides individual Start menu folders for the Whitelist [ALLOW] and Blacklist [DENY] personally-defined files for x86 and x64 installs.

April 25, 2007: "Ultra" is the newest version of ConFetch designed for 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows, including Vista, and is similar to LSE in concept with some exceptions. Previous versions of ConFetch will be upgraded similarly, as time permits. Changes for this version include the following...

The ConFetch Ultra Plug-in:

Backwards-compatible to Windows 2000
Standardized, optimal scripting for all ConFetch components
Installs to 32-bit and 64-bit Vista (must run with UAC disabled)
· individual Start menu folders for Whitelist [ALLOW] and Blacklist [DENY] personal lists
See important information provided below about:
Vista, UAC, TreeWalk and ConFetch
New "Vista Theme" splash graphic and language packs for the Installer
The built-in Updater has been improved to use a single updating script
The Installer Helper Script now unpacks components to the "dns" directory
Faster than *.6.9.6 versions, produces acceptable results with Vista OSes
Uses GNU Sort.exe for IP address lists (renamed to gnusort.exe to avoid conflicts)
New "Find Listed Names Search Tool" locates name strings in downloads and ConFetch database files
Introduces the Google Safe Browsing List component (includes revised stream editor arguments and DNS lookups)
This version can support proposed add-ons for ConFetch plug-ins (Convert My HOSTS, Scrape My SPAM, Blacklist Optimizer, etc.)
Honours timestamps where possible so only newer files are downloaded (uses previously formatted lists for components that are not refreshed)
A large list of ccTLDs (comprised of two labels) enforces resolution of those TLDs and integrates improved filtering of ccSLDs and "normal" SLDs
Two string-reversal scripts use sed.exe arguments to reverse names so that higher level names can be used as regular expressions to remove matching subdomains that would be positioned on the next line of the re-sorted list (those results are then reversed again into the correct readable format)

Download ConFetch Ultra .exe (cf_ultra.exe - 1.19 MB)

The ConFetch Information Tool is included in every version of ConFetch and provides the ConFetch Information Report, which includes statistics for the last time you ran ConFetch. You need to start the tool via the Start Menu to generate a report. Following are reports from several systems...

ConFetch Information Reports for "Ultra" (use any "Back" function to return here):

Windows 2000, ConFetch Ultra, Pentium 2 @400 mHz., 128 MB RAM:

The ConFetch Report is automatically generated for statistical analyses every time you run ConFetch and is one of the collection points for the ConFetch Information Tool (included in all versions). Following are ConFetch Reports from the systems mentioned above...

ConFetch Reports for "Ultra" (use any "Back" function to return here):

((Times can vary for individual comparisons across different systems, and will depend on the number of components the user might select and download during installation.))

Vista and ConFetch Ultra

Things you need to know about Vista, UAC, TreeWalk and ConFetch:

Vista's new User Account Control feature disrupts TreeWalk maintenance procedures, and ConFetch will fail to run if UAC is enabled. Therefore, there are currently some limitations to successfully installing, and running, the ConFetch plug-in with TreeWalk DNS. It can all be done in a matter of minutes if you review the process first! Here's a few pointers to get you going with TreeWalk and ConFetch Ultra on Vista...

Vista Helper, May 14, 2008. The Vista Helper script for TreeWalk v. 8.21 is available to aid Vista users to install, and remove, TreeWalk "Hawk". Due to difficulties for the Service Control Manager in Vista to handle spaces that some users might have included in their administrator account login credentials, those users will have to logon to the Service manually, as described below at item "d", sub-item "ii" (you should review that part anyway, before leaving here for the TreeWalk 8.21 Vista Helper page if you only need to install TWDNS).

Install TreeWalk DNS (Hawk) v. 8.21 using Administrative credentials:

Obtain the TreeWalk installer and run it under Vista. When you arrive at the final page with the restart options, select "No, I will restart later", then exit the installer.
Go to Vista's new "Start" button to access the menu and find "Control Panel" if the "Windows+R" key combination doesn't work for you. If "Control Panel" is not there you will need to add it - right-click the Taskbar, select Properties, select the "Start Menu" tab, press the "Customize" button, scroll to "Control Panel" and select "Display as a menu" or "Display as a link" if you prefer. Select "Okay", then press "Apply" and "Okay" to save changes.
Once you've found the "Control Panel", select "User Accounts", select "Turn User Account Control On or Off" and uncheck the check-box there. Press "Okay". Restart the computer as requested by Vista. Logon using the same Administrator account again and simply "Close" any ensuing notices regarding "named.exe", which is TreeWalk's executable.
There are two ways to orchestrate the next step.
- Either way, you will need to delete the "twdns" Service that the TreeWalk "Hawk" v. 8.21 installer has just created before you can use TreeWalk with Vista:
  · open a command prompt ("Windows+R" keys, type cmd, press "OK" or as described below at sub-item "iii")
  · type sc delete twdns and press the "Enter" key on your keyboard
  · if your Vista is a 32-bit version: type or paste (exactly as shown)
    sc create twdns binPath= %windir%\system32\dns\bin\named.exe
    ...and press the "Enter" key
  · if your Vista is a 64-bit version: type or paste (exactly as shown)
    sc create twdns binPath= %windir%\syswow64\dns\bin\named.exe
    ...press the "Enter" key
  · choose one of the following methods to logon to the newly created service
- Open the "Control Panel" again and select "Administrative Tools" to open the "Services" applet. Scroll down to the "twdns" Service and right-click for "Properties" (or double-click "twdns"). Choose the "Log On" tab and enable the "This account" option. Type ".\Local_Administrator_Account" (without the quotes, where "Local_Administrator_Account" is the Administrator's Account name you're running under, preceded by a dot and a backslash). Enter and confirm the correct password and "Okay" your way out. (Skip ahead to start the TWDNS service, below.)
- ...or, you can open the Start Menu and select "Run" (you may need to add this too, via the Taskbar, right-click for Properties, Start Menu tab, etc.). Once you have the "Run" box, type cmd and press "Okay" to open a command prompt. At the command line, type or paste this (each command must be all on one line with actual login credentials where those are required):
  sc config twdns obj= .\Local_Administrator_Account password= Local_Administrator_Password start= auto DisplayName= TreeWalk
  ...while keeping spaces intact and using proper credentials. Press the "Enter" key of your keyboard and you should receive "SUCCESS" (if not, please try the previous method). Optionally, you can also execute this at the command line (including quotation marks, with all on one line):
  sc description twdns "TreeWalk DNS Personal Server"
- Start the TWDNS service manually from within the Services applet, TreeWalk's Control Panel or with this command:
  net start twdns
  Confirm that TreeWalk is working normally before installing ConFetch Ultra.
- After you're done you should see "TreeWalk" as the displayed name but the service will still only respond to commands that define "twdns", just like it always has.

Install ConFetch Ultra v. 13.7.4.25 using Administrative credentials:

After you've satisfactorily installed TreeWalk, obtain the ConFetch Ultra installer and run it under Vista. You will not be able to run ConFetch with UAC "On" as ConFetch needs to update TreeWalk's configuration to activate filtering.

You can print a shortened text version of the above or download it in .zip format for reference.

* Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
"Surf safely!" - the TWDNS Crew

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