New line in hosts file

Question

Not sure if this should be on here or something like ServerFault.

I frequently use my hosts file to redirect my Apache virtual hosts to localhost so I can test them on my own machine.

My school, NJIT, uses Cisco AnyConnect for its VPN. It's an older version, that doesn't seem to have support for my operating system (Windows 8.1) (but somehow it works), just so you know how old it is. (I have given up asking myself why they wait so long to change things.)

AnyConnect recently added a new line at the bottom of my hosts file that I have never seen before (I have been using this VPN on & off for about 1-2 years):

128.235.249.35  asa2.njit.edu ###Cisco AnyConnect VPN client modified this file. Please do not modify contents until this comment is removed.

When I enter the IP address 128.235.249.35 or the URL asa2.njit.edu into my browser, the webpage that shows up looks like a login page. Indeed, it looks like the login page that shows up whenever I use AnyConnect as a separate program. I suppose that means the VPN travels through that URL on its way to & from the host computer.

What is this line for? I haven't recently updated Windows 8.1 or AnyConnect, & I don't believe they have. Also, if I know what I am doing, is it OK to remove the line? I assume AnyConnect will keep adding it, so how could I remove it for good?

Answer 1

It seems Cisco AnyConnect changes your hosts file every time it connects, and resets it to a file called hosts.ac.

The addition of that one line to the hosts file would allow you to still connect to your VPN terminator even if DNS were down, which is a good thing. But not sure on what may be the intent behind the resetting of the hosts file to hosts.ac every time...

See the following link, and specially the superuser link listed there:

http://jeffreybarke.net/2012/02/anyconnect-reverts-hosts-file/

Answer 2

I am working a TAC case with Cisco and the expected behavior is that the entry in the host file should be removed as soon as the Anyconnect client makes a valid connection to the ASA. The host.ac file is just a placeholder for the original host file until connection is established then is deleted.

You will notice that the normal host file timestamp will update to reflect this behavior.

In our case, the host file does not revert back to original once connection has been established. The timestamp reflects this. The host.ac file is deleted.