Java Exploit Disable It Now

[Excalabur50]

Hey fellow OC3Ders just in case you are not aware it is advisable to disable Java as there are a number of exploits being directed at Java so tell your clients and friends NOT to run Java ATM as it will leave their system open to attack.

 

[grassman]

Is this like that US / Israeli government made virus where media went in a frenzy panicking over it because apparently a virus can shut off and explode power plants ololololololoolololollololololololololololololo

How out of touch..

 

[equk]

There are a lot of exploitable bugs in java atm but mostly this is old news

JANUARY 14, 2013, 6:48 PM
Department of Homeland Security: Disable Java ‘Unless It Is Absolutely Necessary’

https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/ta13-010a
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/625617

The newest alert - [2013-March-4]
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/alert-cve-2013-1493-1915081.html
https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA13-064A

Some more info on the recent security exploits/bugs/patches can be found on wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_security


Also java != javascript

 

[alpenwasser]

Also java != javascript

I think many people kinda forget/overlook/don't know that.

They just had to name it javascript, those *#$%@

(yeah I know it makes sort of sense from a marketing perspective, but from a technological point of view it's completely moronic imho).

/rant

ontopic: No this isn't news, but still correct afaik.

 

[litchu]

ive been getting messages for java update everytime i turned my pc on for the last.. 3 weeks? I got suspicious after ive done 3 of them

lets do a virus scan

 

[alpenwasser]

ive been getting messages for java update everytime i turned my pc on for the last.. 3 weeks? I got suspicious after ive done 3 of them

lets do a virus scan

That does indeed sound a bit iffy

I have to admit (and I don't wish to start a flame war here, merely stating a fact about personal habits), running Linux or some other Unix-like system is so much less stressful in this regard. Of course there's no such thing as complete immunity, and you might easily still serve as a go-between for infections if you don't run anti-virus software, but it really is a lot less stressful.

 

[paulstung]

I've been getting it on my laptop, every time I have turned it on for months, asking for updates. Like most I never update unless needed.

 

[Mathius]

I've noticed this too, but I have avast pro 6 on constantly (unless I update steam, as apparently it can glitch sometimes)

I use java based sites quite often, but this has put doubt in my mind, surely though my avast should pick up any harmful threat, its been very good to me in the past.

 

[grassman]

Department of homeland security lol nuff said

 

[Mathius]

meh, Java is now disabled in Chrome (only browser I use)

Hopefully Java pull their finger out and sort this.

NEW TAB
Chrome://Plugins > Disable Java

Just case nobody knows how to...

Internet Explorer
FireFox
Safari
Opera

 

[SPS]

Had this disabled for months now..

I doubt updates are related to malware but possibly security patches. If you were exploited it would most likely be by a trojan being downloaded without permission thus compromising your system.

 

[Mathius]

Well, I had to Full scan my system about a week ago, and my Avast has the real-time protection....safe bet is that I'm ok....but will still end up doing a complete boot-time scan later, just to make sure

 

[Excalabur50]

Well when I first had a notification of an issue some 3 months ago now it was Microsoft Security Essentials that picked up the issue on my machine as Nvidia update uses Java if I remember correctly, and my new UPS uses Java based software to switch the machine off during a power outage so I thought I had better check before installing it again and there are numerous security companies including Kasperskey Lab who are saying don't use it or disable it and they were talking across all three platforms, so that's Windows, Apple and Linux.

 

[SPS]

Well when I first had a notification of an issue some 3 months ago now it was Microsoft Security Essentials that picked up the issue on my machine as Nvidia update uses Java if I remember correctly, and my new UPS uses Java based software to switch the machine off during a power outage so I thought I had better check before installing it again and there are numerous security companies including Kasperskey Lab who are saying don't use it or disable it and they were talking across all three platforms, so that's Windows, Apple and Linux.

It is only affecting embedded Java through browsers, desktop apps are fine.