[alanrw]

I removed Java from my laptop last week after reading it was a huge security threat. Is it safe to reinstall as a download now?

alan

[HwyStarJoe]

Java just updated on all my computers earlier this week due to a security update. I don't know why you'd uninstall it.

Every piece of software on a computer is a huge security threat.

[DjD]

Joe there was a very critical alert warning folks to disable Java last week because of a very nasty security issue. Here's the first link I found about it...

http://www.skyvalleychronicle.com/FE...he-way-1231177

The warning was to disable java but on my win8 box I couldn't find a control panel or "settings" that let me disable it.

[HwyStarJoe]

I musta missed the memo. I was working on my TPS reports.

[gphusker]

Some very tech savvy friends of mine advised me a few years ago to install a browser plugin called NoScript. It blocks Java on all sites unless you authorize it. You can authorize individual sites you trust and it remembers them. Haven't got a virus since installing.

[69-Pace]

Java is always under attack by those who wish to detect vulnerabilities in the current code and use them to their advantage. In general if you have auto update turned on for your Java installation you will get the security patches as they are released, but in the real world different applications use different versions of Java and are not always backwards compatible so many times update is turned off to retain the working version your applications are dependent upon. Here at work we use another SUN product that uses an ancient version of Java which is also a SUN product so that just goes to show that SUN can't use new versions of Java with its own products.

So use a quality proactive malware tool such as MalwareBytes ($24.00) Malwarebytes.org to be proactive and prevent incursions, but you can use the free version to be reactive active after being attacked. Also use a quality virus protection suite such as the free Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows, or Mccafee or Norton etc. Yes you need both a spyware/scareware/rasonware/malware protection tool and anti virus.

[dyno jonn]

Originally Posted by HwyStarJoe

I musta missed the memo. I was working on my TPS reports.

I got the memo..... got rid of version 10, now using version 11.