The U.S. Department is advising people to
temporarily disable the Java software on their computers to avoid
potential hacking attacks.
The recommendation came in an advisory issued late Thursday, following up on concerns raised by computer security experts.
Experts believe hackers have found a flaw in Java's coding that creates an opening for criminal activity and other high-tech mischief.
Java is a widely used technical language that allows computer programmers to write a wide variety of Internet applications and other software programs that can run on just about any computer's operating system.
Oracle declined to comment on the warning on Friday.
Java is a computer language that enables programmers to write software utilizing just one set of code that will run on virtually any type of computer, including ones that use Microsoft's Windows.
OS X and Linux, an operating system widely employed by corporations.
Computer users access Java programs through modules, or plug-ins, that run Java software on top of browsers such as Internet Explorer and Firefox.
The U.S. government's warning on Java came after security experts warned earlier on Thursday of the newly discovered flaw.
It is relatively rare for government agencies to advise computer users to completely disable software due to a security bug, particularly in the case of widely used programs such as Java. They typically recommend taking steps to mitigate the risk of attack while manufacturers prepare an update, or hold off on publicizing the problem until an update is prepared.
In September, the German government advised the public to temporarily stop using Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser to give it time to patch a security vulnerability that opened it to attacks.
The Department of Homeland Security said attackers could trick targets into visiting malicious websites that would infect their PCs with software capable of exploiting the bug in Java.
It said an attacker could also infect a legitimate website by uploading malicious software that would infect machines of computer users who trust that site because they have previously visited it without experiencing any problems.
They said developers of several popular tools, known as exploit kits, which criminal hackers use to attack PCs, have added software that allows hackers to exploit the newly discovered bug in Java to attack computers.
Security experts have been scrutinizing the safety of Java since a similar security scare in August, which prompted some of them to advise using the software only on an as-needed basis.
At the time they advised businesses to only allow their workers to use Java browser plug-ins when prompted for permission by trusted programs such as GoToMeeting, a Web-based collaboration tool from Citrix Systems.
Adam Gowdiak, a researcher with Polish security firm Security Explorations, subsequently said he had found other security bugs in Java that continued to make computers vulnerable to attack.
Java suffered another setback in October when Apple began removing old versions of the software from Internet browsers of Mac computers when its customers installed new versions of its OS X operating system. Apple did not provide a reason for the change and both companies declined comment at the time.
Ray Business Technologies Pvt Ltd provides IT Services and Solutions to fortune 500 enterprises worldwide. Headquartered in Hyderabad, India, we have several years of experience across different industry verticals globally and strong understanding of the diverse business challenges faced by global enterprises today. Coupled with our thought leadership in IT based Business Process Outsourcing has contributed to the development of Customer-Centric Solutions Model.
We specialize in providing IT Solutions to Enterprises for effectively utilizing the available resources and efficiently manage the operations. We are sector-agnostic and offer eEnterprise Resource Planning, Joomla CMS ,Embedded Systems, Kentico CMS ,Enterprise Portals and Content Management, Dynamics CRM, and Enterprise Mobility Solutions. Our expertise and deep insights into how IT can be best leveraged coupled with our solutions, ensures that your marketing dollars are better spent.
The recommendation came in an advisory issued late Thursday, following up on concerns raised by computer security experts.
Experts believe hackers have found a flaw in Java's coding that creates an opening for criminal activity and other high-tech mischief.
Java is a widely used technical language that allows computer programmers to write a wide variety of Internet applications and other software programs that can run on just about any computer's operating system.
Oracle declined to comment on the warning on Friday.
Java is a computer language that enables programmers to write software utilizing just one set of code that will run on virtually any type of computer, including ones that use Microsoft's Windows.
OS X and Linux, an operating system widely employed by corporations.
Computer users access Java programs through modules, or plug-ins, that run Java software on top of browsers such as Internet Explorer and Firefox.
The U.S. government's warning on Java came after security experts warned earlier on Thursday of the newly discovered flaw.
It is relatively rare for government agencies to advise computer users to completely disable software due to a security bug, particularly in the case of widely used programs such as Java. They typically recommend taking steps to mitigate the risk of attack while manufacturers prepare an update, or hold off on publicizing the problem until an update is prepared.
In September, the German government advised the public to temporarily stop using Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser to give it time to patch a security vulnerability that opened it to attacks.
The Department of Homeland Security said attackers could trick targets into visiting malicious websites that would infect their PCs with software capable of exploiting the bug in Java.
It said an attacker could also infect a legitimate website by uploading malicious software that would infect machines of computer users who trust that site because they have previously visited it without experiencing any problems.
They said developers of several popular tools, known as exploit kits, which criminal hackers use to attack PCs, have added software that allows hackers to exploit the newly discovered bug in Java to attack computers.
Security experts have been scrutinizing the safety of Java since a similar security scare in August, which prompted some of them to advise using the software only on an as-needed basis.
At the time they advised businesses to only allow their workers to use Java browser plug-ins when prompted for permission by trusted programs such as GoToMeeting, a Web-based collaboration tool from Citrix Systems.
Adam Gowdiak, a researcher with Polish security firm Security Explorations, subsequently said he had found other security bugs in Java that continued to make computers vulnerable to attack.
Java suffered another setback in October when Apple began removing old versions of the software from Internet browsers of Mac computers when its customers installed new versions of its OS X operating system. Apple did not provide a reason for the change and both companies declined comment at the time.
Ray Business Technologies Pvt Ltd provides IT Services and Solutions to fortune 500 enterprises worldwide. Headquartered in Hyderabad, India, we have several years of experience across different industry verticals globally and strong understanding of the diverse business challenges faced by global enterprises today. Coupled with our thought leadership in IT based Business Process Outsourcing has contributed to the development of Customer-Centric Solutions Model.
We specialize in providing IT Solutions to Enterprises for effectively utilizing the available resources and efficiently manage the operations. We are sector-agnostic and offer eEnterprise Resource Planning, Joomla CMS ,Embedded Systems, Kentico CMS ,Enterprise Portals and Content Management, Dynamics CRM, and Enterprise Mobility Solutions. Our expertise and deep insights into how IT can be best leveraged coupled with our solutions, ensures that your marketing dollars are better spent.
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