Serious New Java Flaw Affects All Browsers

Trailrunner7 writes "There is a serious vulnerability in Java that makes all current browsers vulnerable to simple Web-based attacks that could lead to a complete compromise of the affected system. Two separate researchers released information on the vulnerability on Friday, saying that it has been present in Java for years. The problem lies in the Java Web Start framework, a technology that Sun Microsystems developed to enable the simplified deployment of Java applications. In essence, the JavaWS technology fails to validate parameters passed to it from the command line, and attackers can control those parameters using specific HTML tags on a Web page, researcher Ruben Santamarta said in an advisory posted Friday morning."

Comments

Re:Article Contents

[binarylarry]

Actually it affected Linux browsers too.

However, it was fixed a few updates ago: http://java.sun.com/javase/6/webnotes/6u17.html

Some precisions....

[ls671]

Using Java Web Start is comparable to clicking "Yes" when prompted to install "spyware.exe" or any other exe file. Java Web Start is a framework to deploy native Java applications on your machine more easily. Of course, you must trust the source just as you must trust the source when you install an exe file or Unix executable file.

Java Web Start is in no way comparable to Flash, Java Applets or the like that start executing in your browser without your permission and where a sandbox is used to run the code.

I thought this should be made clearer... ;-))