Oracle today released a critical update to its widely-installed Java software, fixing at least 29 security vulnerabilities in the program. Most consumers on Microsoft Windows PCs will have some version of Java installed (if you’re not sure whether you have… Read More »
I have long urged readers who have no need for Java to remove the program, because failing to keep this software updated with the latest security patches exposes users to dangerous, ubiquitous attacks. In this blog post, I’ll show readers how attacks against Java vulnerabilities have fast emerged as the top moneymaker for authors of the best-selling “exploit kits,” commercial software designed to be stitched into hacked or malicious sites to exploit a variety of Web-browser vulnerabilities.
Take one look at the newest kit on the block – “Blackhole” — and it is plain that Java vulnerabilities continue to be give attackers the most mileage and profit, and have surpassed Adobe flaws as the most successful exploit vehicles.
Exploit packs — slick, prepackaged bundles of commercial software that attackers can user to booby-trap hacked Web sites with malicious software — are popular in part because they turn hacking for profit into a point-and-click exercise that even the dullest can master. But one reason I’ve focused so much on these kits is that they also make it easy to visually communicate key Internet security concepts that often otherwise fall on deaf ears, such as the importance of keeping your software applications up-to-date with the latest security patches.
One of the best-selling exploit packs on the market today is called Crimepack, a kit that I have mentioned at least twice already in previous blog posts. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the “exploit stats” section of a few working Crimepack installations to get a sense of which software vulnerabilities are most productive for Crimepack customers.
Many of the most widely used third-party software applications for Microsoft Windows do not take advantage of two major lines of defense built into the operating system that can help block attacks from hackers and viruses, according to research released today.
I am often asked to recommend security software, but I think it’s important to bear in mind that staying secure is just as often about removing little-used software that increases your exposure to online threats. At the very top of my nix-it-now list is Java, a powerful application that most users have on their systems but that probably few actually need.
Apple has pushed out an update that fixes at least 30 security vulnerabilities in its version of Java for Mac OS X systems. The patch appears to fix a flaw in Java that Oracle shipped more than a month ago… Read More »
Oracle Corp. has shipped a new version of its Java software that nixes a feature in Java that hackers have been using to foist malicious software. Java 6 Update 20 was released sometime in the last 24 hours, and includes some security fixes, although Oracle’s documentation on that front is somewhat opaque. Most significantly, the update removes a feature that hackers have started using to install malware.
Last week, a Google security researcher detailed a little-known feature built into Java that can be used to launch third-party applications. Today, security experts unearthed evidence that a popular song lyrics Web site was compromised and seeded with code that leverages this Java feature to install malicious software.
A new version of Java is available that fixes at least 27 security vulnerabilities in the ubiquitous software. To see which version of Java you have installed, visit this link and click the “Do I Have Java?” link under the big red “Free Java Download” button. The newest version that includes these 27 fixes is Java 6 Update 19.
