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back to article Java malware spotted using stolen certificate

If you haven't already run in the latest Java patch (issued yesterday), here's another good reason to do so: someone has turned up an exploit that uses signed code. In this post, Eric Romang looks at a malicious applet that comes with a signature using credentials stolen from Clearesult Consulting in the US. The stolen …

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  1. pixl97
    FAIL

    Other Java Issues.

    Off on a tanget to the article, but

    The Java installer sucks (yes we already knew that with the Ask toolbar)

    Resets Java update settings. Set java to download before installing and set it to daily. Install new update. It's now reset to monthly and warn before downloading.

    I've had to reinstall J7v17 twice on many systems as it doesn't install the browser plug-in to IE or Firefox correctly. These days I'd consider this a benefit other then the computers really needed it for apps to work.

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    1. Dan 55 Silver badge
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      Re: Other Java Issues.

      Hate to say this but even Adobe have pulled their finger out with Flash, updating is almost invisible. Not sure what Oracle's excuse is.

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  4. Captain DaFt

    Waiting for it to happen.

    Given all the press about Java exploits, and the high rate of patches lately, I'm a bit surprised that no one's tried pushing out a zero-day exploit disguised as a Java patch yet.

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    1. Ole Juul
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      Re: Waiting for it to happen.

      Actually, there should be quite a number of opportunities for AV hawkers of all kinds.

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    2. TeeCee Gold badge
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      Coat

      Re: Waiting for it to happen.

      I'm a bit surprised that no one's tried pushing out a zero-day exploit disguised as a Java patch yet.

      Yet? Ask.com have been doing that for years......

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  5. Dan 55 Silver badge
    Mushroom

    Too much confusion over Java security settings

    Sorry to say this but I told you so. Oracle's advice is wrong, Oracle's spokesbloke says, 'In order to protect themselves, desktop users should only allow the execution of applets when they expect such applets and trust their origin' but 'high' does not pop up a dialog when it runs signed code so it contradicts this advice and wouldn't have stopped this app. You need the settings on 'very high' for it to do that.

    Secondly signed applets do not mean malware free applets, as shown here.

    Finally do we trust Oracle's new security settings enough to believe that it always pops up dialogs when it should and that a applet with malware can't be engineered to get round them? I don't.

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    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Thumb Down

      Re: Too much confusion over Java security settings

      To put that more simply, Java is malware.

      The sooner a new pope is appointed, and Java is declared a heresy punishable by excommunication the better. As a non-catholic myself that'd only be symbolic, but we're a bit short of alternative (quasi-valid) claimants to any form of moral authority.

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  6. g7rp0
    FAIL

    Just dont user it

    I have a Windows XP vm for when I actually need to use java, the rest of the time I use a machine that doesnt even have a whisper of Java on it, even having it installed is asking for trouble tbh

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  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    J7 17 triggers Tamper Protection alert

    I just installed JRE 7 Update 17 on an XP machine that's running Symantec Endpoint Protect, and got 7 Tamper Protection Alerts. I've managed to eliminate java from all but a handful of machines that need it to access specific tools, but I'm not sure whether this latest update isn't a bigger risk than what it's supposed to protect from!

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