New Zero Day Flaw Causes Apple to Quietly Block Java 7 from OS X

**Akshay Masand** · 01-11-2013, 11:01 PM

Apple recently disabled the Java 7 plugin on Macs through its OS X anti-malware system as a precautionary measure to protect users from a potentially serious security issue. The newly discovered zero-day flaw in Java 7 is so serious that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has warned users to disable or uninstall it. According to the department’s Computer Emergency Readiness Team:

We are currently unaware of a practical solution to this problem. This vulnerability is being attacked in the wild, and is reported to be incorporated into exploit kits. Exploit code for this vulnerability is also available.

Apple on the other hand seems to have taken measures to protect OS X users by quietly disabling the Java 7 plug-in according to MacRumors. The Cupertino California company accomplished this by updating the OS X “Xprotect.plist” file to require users to have installed an unreleased version of Java “1.80_10-b19.”

This isn’t the first time Apple has had issues with Java security either. Apple stopped building its own in-house Java updates last year, handing off the responsibility to Oracle. Since then Java was a part of what was the most serious malware threat to the Mac, dubbed “Flashback.” The Trojan was estimated to have infected 600,000 Macs worldwide last year before Oracle and Apple released Java patches to remove the malware. We’ll have to wait and see if either push a patch to help provide security against the current threat.

Source: MacRumors, ZDNet

**iH85CH001** · 01-12-2013, 01:21 AM

dubbed "Flasback."

Did you mean Flashback?

Also, how do u disable it? Or uninstall? Because i know that i have Definitely installed java.

**spazturtle** · 01-12-2013, 07:21 AM

It only block the Java we browserplug-in, not Java itself, misleading headline.

**exNavy** · 01-12-2013, 07:54 AM

Who the heck needs java? Write once, debug everywhere.....

**CZroe** · 01-12-2013, 10:16 AM

In other news: Apple's actions "break" millions of computers without warning! I can imagine business which needed Java for their daily applications being particularly upset at this inelegant solution.

**spazturtle** · 01-12-2013, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by CZroe

In other news: Apple's actions "break" millions of computers without warning! I can imagine business which needed Java for their daily applications being particularly upset at this inelegant solution.

They haven't block Java they blocked the Java web plugin

**GenesisDH** · 01-12-2013, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by spazturtle

Originally Posted by CZroe

In other news: Apple's actions "break" millions of computers without warning! I can imagine business which needed Java for their daily applications being particularly upset at this inelegant solution.

They haven't block Java they blocked the Java web plugin

To an extent his point still stands.
Most websites that use Java interact using the plugin, not the external Java VM. For example, the NOAA NWS looping radar only worked while Java's web plugin is active. This effectively disabled the java applet.

Applications/Programs that one downloads which use Java run in the VM directly. To me, that is a bigger issue as people can download and run a 'bad' app and that alone could wreck a system.

**bigboyz** · 01-12-2013, 03:05 PM

The Beta version of Java 7 runs fine. I would suggest rolling back to Java 6..at least that is what I did.

**feidhlim1986** · 01-13-2013, 09:29 AM

How do I prevent Apple having the ability to remotely disable or enable anything on MY machine? Turn off the Anti-Malware "feature"?
Most companies would issue a security notice, not forcibly disable something.

**spazturtle** · 01-13-2013, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by feidhlim1986

Most companies would issue a security notice, not forcibly disable something.

No most anti viruses disable things automatically, that is there job.

**Mrteacup** · 01-13-2013, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by CZroe

In other news: Apple's actions "break" millions of computers without warning! I can imagine business which needed Java for their daily applications being particularly upset at this inelegant solution.

As someone else mentioned you don't need java 7... Java 6 is fine..

**sad** · 01-13-2013, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by exNavy

Who the heck needs java? Write once, debug everywhere.....

Actually most of the Danish population need java ;-(

Really sad, but a security system for Danes requires java ,-( And it's not even a joke. Beforehand we were using a pair of public/secret keys to this; but a couple of years ago, some smart people made this new really secure system (sorry remark heavy use of ironi in my sentence).

**CZroe** · 01-14-2013, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by bigboyz

The Beta version of Java 7 runs fine. I would suggest rolling back to Java 6..at least that is what I did.

Uhh, that's not the point. Even the vulnerable one "runs fine."

Originally Posted by spazturtle

No most anti viruses disable things automatically, that is there job.

No. Most disable malicious things automatically and recommend other security-related changes.

Originally Posted by spazturtle

They haven't block Java they blocked the Java web plugin

Which a TON of custom business apps use. Why do you think so many companies stuck with IE6 for so ridiculously long? IE7 broke compatibility with their custom business apps, many of which were web-enabled Java applications on internal networks. Hald the point of using Java is to make it run on various clients (Mac and PC) using a standard browser with JavaVM installed.

Does the tool automatically disable Java 7 and roll-back to Java 6?

Your favorite Apple, iPhone, iPad, iOS, Jailbreak, and Cydia site.

Thread: New Zero Day Flaw Causes Apple to Quietly Block Java 7 from OS X

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Apple recently disabled the Java 7 plugin on Macs through its OS X anti-malware system as a precautionary measure to protect users from a potentially serious security issue. The newly