New Java updates are available from Cupertino for customers running Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. The main purpose of releasing these updates was to strengthen the security of the two operating systems, according to Apple Support.
Apple details the contents and purpose of each update in two separate technical notes.
“Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Update 10 delivers improved compatibility, security, and reliability by updating J2SE 5.0 to 1.5.0_30, and updating Java SE 6 to 1.6.0_26 for 64-bit capable Intel-based Macs,” one such note
reads.
Apple also asks users to note that “J2SE 1.4.2 is no longer being updated to fix bugs or security issues and remains disabled by default in this update.”
On the Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6)
side, “Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 5 delivers improved compatibility, security, and reliability by updating Java SE 6 to 1.6.0_26.”
Before installing these updates, users are advised to quit any web browsers and Java applications.
In a couple of
additional Support documents, Apple then discusses the security content of each update.
A recently discovered set of flaws is common among the two Java releases.
Apple specifically notes that “Multiple vulnerabilities exist in Java 1.6.0_24, the most serious of which may allow an untrusted Java applet to execute arbitrary code outside the Java sandbox.”
This can be triggered by visiting a web page containing a maliciously crafted untrusted Java applet allowing the unauthorized user to gain the privileges of the current user.
These bugs are addressed in the latest version Java version. More details are provided over at
Sun Microsystems' web site.
To update Java on your Mac, choose Software Update from the Apple menu and select the available updates in the dialog window, then hit Install.
Alternately, you can download the two Java updates using the link below and install them manually.
Download Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 5 / 10.5 Update 10 (Free)
Find us on Google+
No user comments yet.
Be the first to express your opinion!
