On Tue, 20 Aug 2019 12:23:28 +0700, JJ wrote:

By default, local HOSTS file will always used (unless disabled manually).

That's not my experience, so maybe something isn't what I think it is?

1. I can put a domain in my HOSTS file, e.g., 127.0.0.1 google.com
2. Then I can't go to that domain from my local PC anymore (which is ok)
3. But then, I connect to a VPN service (e.g., https://www.freeopenvpn.org/)
4. I can connect to google.com (even though that's in my local HOSTS file)

Clearly, it uses the vpn services' hosts file.
This makes sense because the entire connection goes though that host.
I can't imagine it working any other way by default.

Does anyone else use a VPN service who can confirm how it works for them?