Google's Security team has discovered vulnerabilities in the Sun Java Runtime Environment that threatens the security of all platforms, browsers and even mobile devices.
"This is as bad as it gets," said Chris Gatford, a security expert from penetration testing firm Pure Hacking.
"It's a pretty significant weakness, which will have a considerable impact if the exploit codes come to fruition quickly. It could affect a lot of organisations and users," Gatford told ZDNet Australia.
Australia's Computer Emergency Response Team (AusCERT) analyst, Robert Lowe, warned that anyone using the Java Runtime Environment or Java Development Kit is at risk.
"Delivery of exploits in this manner is attractive to attackers because even though the browser may be fully patched, some people neglect to also patch programs invoked by browsers to render specific types of content," said Lowe.
According to Gatford, the bugs threaten pretty much every modern device.
"Java runs on everything: cell phones, PDAs, and PCs. This is the problem when you have a vulnerability in something so modular -- it affects so many different devices.
"Also, this exploit is browser independent, as long as it invokes a vulnerable Java Runtime Environment," said Gatford.
Pure Hacking's Gatford said the problem is compounded by the slim chance of an enterprise patching Java Runtime vulnerabilities.
"It would be an extremely difficult and laborious process for an organisation trying to patch Java Runtime across the enterprise," he said.
For more information, see the AusCERT advisory.
Why are you guys so anxious to tell us about something that is already patched and updated?
the AusCERT advisory
http://www.auscert.org.au/render.html?it=7664
say that this effects * JDK and JRE 6
* JDK and JRE 5.0 Update 10 and earlier
* SDK and JRE 1.4.2_14 and earlier
* SDK and JRE 1.3.1_20 and earlier
so checking my java version:
$ java -version
java version "1.5.0_08"
Ha!
Java has already been patched and updated by Ubuntu 6.10!
So how come the hullabaloo over out of date stuff?
must be SND...(slow news day).....