Java Homeland Security warning

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SCM

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#745244 15-Jan-2013 18:03

nunz: Excuse my ignorance -- isn't java required for speedtest.net?

Java is not required for Speedtest.net. However, it is required to use our sister-site Pingtest.net.

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nunz

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#745872 16-Jan-2013 18:53

gzt:
nunz: Excuse my ignorance -- isn't java required for speedtest.net?

Speedtest requires Javascript. Javascript is not Java.

To be more specific: Javascript is not Java Runtime. Java Runtime is also known as JRE = Java Runtime Environment.

Again, Javascript is not JRE. Hope that helps clarify some things.

I always do a latency test and jitter tests on connections os that's why I probably associate jave with speedtest.net.

There are a lot of average joes needing java now - lots of apps written using ti in general use:
Open Source Offices, Lotus Notes clients, Kitomba for hair dressers, mine craft, etc etc etc. Remember the days whenapplets on websites were all the rage? .... I hope oracle get their jre sorted.

gzt

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#745891 16-Jan-2013 19:41

JRE is widely used no doubt about it. Java applets are still popular with many math and science sites. It gets that from widespread adoption in universities and higher education.

Absolutely nothing wrong with it in principle. Just not enough resources being put in by Oracle into securing the platform installed on a huge number of machines talking to the web through the browser plugin.

USCert issued a security warning for the latest (fixed) version saying users can mitigate some of the remaining issues using the Java control in control panel AND also warns of an installer bug which means many users will not have that control installed and need to reinstall to get it. Doh!

tedzart

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#747231 19-Jan-2013 06:52

I am gonna do just as my bestest friend Mr. Freitasm does and avoid Java.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2025618/malware-impersonates-java-patch.html

nunz

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#748676 22-Jan-2013 10:32

tedzart: I am gonna do just as my bestest friend Mr. Freitasm does and avoid Java.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2025618/malware-impersonates-java-patch.html

By the same logic you will also avoid flash, IE, Safari, OPera, Firefox, Chrome, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Apple iOS, - DOS, BASH shell etc etc etc - hope you can find a Sinclair ZX81 that will run on the internet - its the only one I never saw a virus for.

Viruses are just part of the teritory with computers - until of course we shoot all the e-tards, porners, spammers, nigerians, russian mafia, get rich schemers, chinese and kiddy scripters etc etc etc

Shane

freitasm

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#748677 22-Jan-2013 10:34

It's about reducing the attack surface. If you do not have a good enough reason to have something installed in your system, do not install it.

It's not about battling one platform or another, one browser or another, one framework or another. It's about reducing the entry points.

There are things you need to install, and in such cases you have to be aware of flaws and how to react if needed.

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#754860 2-Feb-2013 20:20

And CERT has released another bulletin.

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tedzart

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#754931 3-Feb-2013 04:14

I have removed it from both my Computers and do not miss it ... goodbye Java.

freitasm

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#775403 6-Mar-2013 07:50

The show must go on... More Java vulnerabilities.

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gzt

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#775476 6-Mar-2013 09:22

It is just browser plugin issues again, no plugin, no issues.

It is end of life for Java 6 now. No more security updates for the JRE6. Some painful and some risky decisions coming up for some people ; ).

freitasm

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#775477 6-Mar-2013 09:23

Sure. The problem is how many people install Java and disable the plugin?

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#775480 6-Mar-2013 09:30

Not many, but any Apple user who has installed JRE6/7 from Apple recently. Apple installs JRE without browser plugins.

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#775531 6-Mar-2013 10:17

And as of today, all Apple JRE6 users will have the browser plugin disabled with an update:

"Java for OS X 2013-002 delivers improved security, reliability, and compatibility by updating Java SE 6 to 1.6.0_43. On systems that have not already installed Java for OS X 2012-006, this update disables the Java SE 6 applet plug-in. To use applets on a web page, click on the region labeled "Missing plug-in" to download the latest version of the Java applet plug-in from Oracle"

Prepare for the screaming and yelling..

Edit: 10.7 and later: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5675

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