New Java Patch & Meltdown / Spectre

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Earlier today Kristy posted an Oracle Security Update advisory that indicated a January 2018 Java update is available to address the Meltdown / Spectre situation, https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/oracle-security-update-us-cert-java-etc/ . The Oracle advisory can be found here: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujan2018-3236628.html

My question is: Is it safe to install this new java update on an older windows 7 x64 machine that has been found to be susceptible to Meltdown / Spectre and has yet to be or perhaps even unable to be patched to accept the January windows updates?

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Yes, you should install the patch if you intend to continue to run Java on your machine. The other option is to uninstall Java.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Lori, twbartender

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Apparently one way Spectre can manifest itself is through a website ad that runs a JavaScript on my computer. But, can that happen if I don’t have Java on my computer?

I have the feeling I’m missing something here, perhaps that JavaScripts don’t actually need Java to run? Or something like that?

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From java.com FAQ:

How is JavaScript different from Java?

The JavaScript programming language, developed by Netscape, Inc., is not part of the Java platform.

JavaScript does not create applets or stand-alone applications. In its most common form, JavaScript resides inside HTML documents, and can provide levels of interactivity to web pages that are not achievable with simple HTML.

Key differences between Java and JavaScript:

– Java is an OOP programming language while Java Script is an OOP scripting language.
– Java creates applications that run in a virtual machine or browser while JavaScript code is run on a browser only.
– Java code needs to be compiled while JavaScript code are all in text.
– They require different plug-ins.
…

5 users thanked author for this post.

Lori, Cascadian, SueW, Elly, DrBonzo

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