Filed under: Developer, Internet, Security
Threat looming from Java security exploit
Global warming? How can you worry about global warming at a time like this? Have you not heard the news? Google's security team has discovered a flaw in the Sun Java Runtime Environment that might threaten every single platform, browser, and mobile device. Apparently anything running either the Java Runtime Environment or Java Development kit is at risk, which, last time we checked, is pretty much everything. You'll be hard-pressed to find a spoon that doesn't run some form of Java these days. Ok, so maybe it's not as big a deal as global warming, but it still could cause some potential problems. In fact, Chris Gatford from Pure Hacking even goes as far as to say "This is as bad as it gets." Those unfamiliar with Pure Hacking should be told that it is a penetration testing firm. Yes. Really. The words penetration and firm were both in that last sentence. Apologies all around to anyone whose head just exploded when it was overrun with the countless easy jokes that bubble up from reading that.
So be ready. This could be like Y2K all over again. Except, you know, something might actually happen this time. But probably not. Either way, if the world ends tomorrow, at least you can go out giggling childishly at the phrase "penetration firm."
So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do.
Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game.
The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike said 5:15PM on 7-13-2007
Sounds like a bunch of FUD. Where are some actual details? Let's just all run around screaming "The sky is falling! We're all gonna die!"
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Todd said 8:09PM on 7-13-2007
Overblown - excluding a handful of embedded devices measuring solar radiation at some remote weather station, all connected devices can just be updated with the patch Sun has already issued:
http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-26-102934-1
The tin foil hat wearer in me says Microsoft had a hand in blowing the threat severity out of proportion and then strong arming all the media outlets they advertise on to run the story.
Bonus: Firm penetration is mandatory!
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Ant said 12:56PM on 7-14-2007
Might want to check out Appupdater. It 's like Windows Update but for all the random apps on your computer. Will keep them up to date and using the latest secure versions, and can be run on a corporate network.
http://www.nabber.org/projects/appupdater/
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James said 5:44PM on 7-16-2007
I'm not too sure, but I *think* there's no way to update the runtime on either of my Nokia cellphones, unless Nokia drops a new firmware version. For that matter, it's hard to think of any "mobile" device (PDA, cell phone, etc.) that lets the end user update the JRE. So, uh, I don't think it's small potatoes when a vulnerability of this scope is uncovered.
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