Hosts File Website Blocker

This Python script allows you to block or unblock websites by modifying the hosts file on your system. It redirects specified websites to the localhost IP (127.0.0.1), effectively preventing access to them. The script supports importing and exporting blocked websites and provides a simple command-line interface for managing the block list.

Features

• Block websites by adding entries to the hosts file.
• Unblock websites by removing their entries from the hosts file.
• Import a list of websites to block from a file.
• Export the current list of blocked websites to a file.
• View all currently blocked websites.
• User-friendly command-line interface with help commands.

Requirements

• Python 3.x
• Administrator privileges (required to modify the hosts file).

How It Works

1. Blocking a Website:

   • The script adds an entry to the hosts file in the format:

     127.0.0.1 <website>
     127.0.0.1 www.<website>
     

   • This redirects the domain to 127.0.0.1, which is the localhost, effectively blocking access.

2. Unblocking a Website:

   • The script removes the corresponding entries from the hosts file.

3. Attributes Management:

   • On Windows systems, the script temporarily removes the System, Read-only, and Hidden attributes from the hosts file using the command:

     attrib -s -r -h <hosts_file_path>
     

   • After modifications, the attributes are restored.

4. Importing and Exporting:

   • Websites can be imported from a text file containing a list of URLs.
   • Blocked websites can be exported to a text file for backup.

Usage

Commands

• help: Display the help menu with available commands.
• check: List all blocked websites.
• del: Unblock a website (displays blocked websites for selection).
• export: Export the current list of blocked websites to a file.
• import: Import a list of websites to block from a file.
• <website_url>: Directly block the specified website.

Example Workflow

1. Run the Script:

   python website_blocker.py
   

2. Block a Website:

   • Enter the URL of the website (e.g., youtube.com).
   • Confirm the action when prompted.

3. View Blocked Websites:

   • Type check to see a list of currently blocked websites.

4. Unblock a Website:

   • Type del and follow the prompts to select a website to unblock.

5. Export Blocked Websites:

   • Type export to save the block list to a file.

6. Import Websites to Block:

   • Type import and provide the file path containing the list of websites.

File Paths

• Hosts File:

  • Windows: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
  • Linux/Mac: /etc/hosts

• Export Path:

  • Windows: M:\Downloads\BlockedWebsiteExports\hosts.txt
  • Linux/Mac: /home/ubuntu/Downloads/hosts.txt

Notes

• Administrator Privileges: The script requires elevated privileges to modify the hosts file.