Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity

    Latest Java Flaw Bypasses Security Control, Security Researchers Say

    By
    Brian Prince
    -
    January 29, 2013
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Security researchers have uncovered yet another ding in the battered armor of Java security.

      This time there is a vulnerability in the latest version of Java that allows attackers to execute unsigned Java code on a targeted Windows system regardless of the Java security control settings, according to findings from Security Explorations.

      “Our Proof of Concept code that illustrates Issue 53 has been successfully executed in the environment of latest Java SE 7 Update 11 (JRE version 1.7.0_11-b21) under Windows 7 OS and with “Very High” Java Control Panel security settings,” Adam Gowdiak, CEO of Security Explorations, wrote in a posting on a Full Disclosure mailing list.

      Starting with Java SE 7 Update 10 (Java 7u10), Oracle added a new level of controls, he noted. For example, the company added the ability to disable any Java application running in the browser. The company also added the ability to set a security level of the user’s choosing for unsigned applets, Java Web Start applications and embedded JavaFX applications running in a browser as well as new dialogs to warn users when the JRE is insecure.

      These improvements, Gowdiak wrote, “don’t prevent silent exploits at all.”

      “Users that require Java content in the web browser need to rely on a Click to Play technology implemented by several web browser vendors in order to mitigate the risk of a silent Java Plugin exploit,” he wrote.

      According to Security Explorations, Oracle confirmed it received the vulnerability report and that it will investigate it.

      Late last week, Oracle released a recording of a teleconference between company representatives and members of the Java user community. In it, Milton Smith, head of Java security, said that the company planned to improve its outreach to the community in connection with security issues.

      “The plan for Java security is really simple,” he said. “It’s to get Java fixed up number one, and then number two, to communicate our efforts widely. We really can’t have one without the other.”

      Andrew Storms, director of security operations for nCircle, called Oracle’s public discussion of the security challenges the Java browser plug-in is facing a step forward.

      “It’s good to finally see Oracle acknowledge” the seriousness of the situation, he said. “Unfortunately, we needed this admission a year ago before their customers started losing trust in Java security. Now Oracle has a very steep credibility hill to climb.”

      Java exploits have become regular features of many of the popular exploit kits in the cyber-underworld. Blackhole for example was one of many kits that targeted CVE-2013-0422, a Java zero-day bug first seen being exploited in December. Oracle released a patch aimed at fixing the vulnerability as well as one other earlier this month. However, the company soon found itself taking more public relations hits when security researchers discovered that the update contained additional vulnerabilities and failed to address the underlying issue being exploited by attackers.

      “No amount of talking or smoothing over is going to make anybody happy or do anything for us,” Smith said. “We have to fix Java.”

      Brian Prince

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×