Does the Hosts file on Pineapple have any effect on traffic with modern browsers?

[PineUser101]

Wanted to confirm if altering the hosts file on the pineapple root should redirect traffic from clients linked to the Pineapple? I am not getting any change on devices I am testing with, and read somewhere that modern browsers will default to online Google hosts file services first. Is this a fact now or is there a way to still use Pineapples to redirect traffic?

Thanks

[dark_pyrro]

You probably need to figure out where each client/target sources its DNS. Can be configured client side, or even the Pineapple itself providing the DNS to use when handing out DHCP leases to connecting clients.

[PineUser101]

Can't really examine the client setup, defeats the object a bit of the pentest. But would like to know if anyone had any success with the HOSTS file on the pineapple to redirect traffic? And also if there are any sneaky ways to make this sure the pineapple HOST file is used as the reference by the client device.

Thanks

[dark_pyrro]

The suggestion to examine the client setup is a part of learning how things work, not something for a real use case engagement scenario. I.e. what happens if the target has the DNS servers defined locally (and don't get them elsewhere, such as via DHCP).