More questions about disabling Java

Following my Windows Secrets Newsletter Top Story on disabling Java in Internet Explorer (which is a bear), my inbox overflows…

Q: I use Norton as my AV provider and have recently received an email from them saying that they are on top of this and as long as I’m running Java 7-11 I’m ok. How “ok” am I?

A: With all due respect to Mr. Norton <ahem>, you’re most assuredly not OK. Remove Java if you can (see Susan’s article in Windows Secrets Newsletter). If that won’t work for you, disable Java in all browsers (see my article). And if that won’t work for you, disable it in Firefox and IE, but keep it going in Chrome.

Q: Subject: Java Security Alert / Java is now uninstalled from both my Vista and Win 7 machines. Just wonder if this is the better way to take care of the problem. Would like to have your opinion. Thanks.

A: Absolutely. Uninstall if you can.

Q: Subject: JAVA disable is where? Woody, My Java (32-bit) in the Control Panel, security tab, only shows a button for Certificates. I couldn’t find a tab/window that looked like your example.

A: Susan nailed this one: Check to see if you have ANOTHER java installed too. I found I had both 6 and 7 and once I removed 6 the tab showed up.

 Q: Firefox has already blocked Java. It was disabled for me. FYI

A: Mozilla started doing that as a service to Firefox users with older, vulnerable versions of Java – back in August! 

Q; Subject: Security alert: Remove Java from your browsers If it is true that “many — if not most PC users — are running Firefox or Chrome” why not just use IE as the browser that you keep Java on. I only use IE when Firefox won’t work. So for me that is the solution. If someone still uses IE as their main browser and wants to remove Java from it, the easy way to do it would be to first remove Java from all browsers, then add it back to your secondary browser that explicitly asks you for permission to run a Java program.

 A: Alas, it doesn’t work that way. IE is the most vulnerable browser for Java security breaches. If you remove Java from your machine, then click to install Java inside a browser, it gets installed for all browsers.

Q: Hi Windows Secret. In Denmark the following advise from the locak CERT: Choose Tools, click manage add-ons, right-clik Java(tm) Plug-in SSV Helper & Java ™ Plug-in 2 SSV Helper and disable both.. Nice and Simple..

 A: Unfortunately, that doesn’t work! I’m surprised CERT Denmark hasn’t updated their advice….

 Q: I had removed Java from my pc and disabled it in Firefox. Do I need to re install and go though the procedure in the last newsletter?

A: If Java is completely removed from your PC – it doesn’t appear in the Remove Programs list – you’re home free.