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US Government Tells Computer Users to DISABLE Java.....

Re: Government Says to Disable Java

yea yea you got me.. but what you did not know, is that I am actually a triple spy working for the Israelis who think I am working as a double agent, but when in fact I am working for the American Christian Intelligence Network (ACIN!)... trying to make Muslims and Jews hate each other even more so they will all convert to Christianity and move Mars!

And here I thought you were a Spanish computer geek so bored that you came to DP for stimulation.;)
 
Re: Government Says to Disable Java

http://www.debatepolitics.com/break...rnment-tells-computer-users-disable-java.html

Maybe we can get a mod to merge these threads.
shrug.gif


Well, you get the honors because you were an hour and 20 minutes ahead of me. I looked for a similar thread but couldn't find it. I put mine in the computer section where it normally would be, but you put yours in Breaking News.
 
I have heard a couple people now say they think Bing is having problems over this.....dunno if that is true. Still there is not a lot of News Up on this for the Fed to be putting out this type of warning. I would have thought all the MS media would carry it.

According to what I have been reading, the Feds are just catching up. This problem was discovered as early as June. I found this out after Googling for a way to turn off Java that would cover all Internet browsers.
 
The problem with java being hacked is a web page that seems perfectly legitimate may redirect you to a site that uses your java app to gain access to your PC and implant a virus. It happens quickly and silently and probably more from websites that are small private ones, porn, cheat sites or torrent. You can go into your browser settings and disable Java, then if you go to a banking site that loses functionality you can turn it back on temporarily to do your banking.

Google won't do any searches without Java.
 
...has any evidence been presented to suggest it was China? Are you really asking why people aren't jumping to a conclusion that is 100% speculation?

You're taking this thread way too seriously. People are just throwing out possibles. It could be the Chinese, or it might be some very smart 12-year old looking for international attention.
 
Moderator's Warning:
Threads merged.
 
If past hacking attacks by Anonymous on U.S. gov websites and databases is any indication, they won't need Java to get in.

This warning most likely pertains to less organized hackers.
 
Re: Government Says to Disable Java

No Script is how i roll!.
 
...has any evidence been presented to suggest it was China? Are you really asking why people aren't jumping to a conclusion that is 100% speculation?

Well I asked that question of Pete as he had named off quite a few others. Since he didn't mention China I thought why not ask about them too. Since they have been up into our systems before. I mean if they can hack the Pentagon. Why not java?
 
Re: Government Says to Disable Java

The Department of Homeland Security is claiming that Java has a flaw and is open to hackers to play around in. It seems like this site and just about everywhere you go these days requires you to have Java enabled. I wasn't exactly sure how I could go about disabling Java so here is a site that tells you how to do it. You can also disable Java through whatever browser you use via Internet Tools.

How to Disable Java | PCMag.com

Well I run Windows XP 64 bit software so the instructions given in the above website were not exactly the way I went about disabling Java. Well, it's disabled and now Google refuses to search for topics. It keeps telling me that I need to download some software. Well this is one way to hamstring computer users. Everything on the Internet these days appears to be controlled by Java.

You really don't have to disable Java, just reconfigure your setting in the Java Control Panel as outline in these Java JE Documentation instructions provided from Oracle themselves. (See the section on "Security Options for Trusted Signed or Self-Signed Apps" specifically lower down the webpage.)
 
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Re: Government Says to Disable Java

You really don't have to diseble Java, just reconfigure your setting in the Java Control Panel as outline in these Java JE Documentation instructions provided from Oracle themselves. (See the section on "Security Options for Trusted Signed or Self-Signed Apps" specifically lower down the webpage.)

This site looks like it assumes everyone is using Windows 7 or Vista. I am one of the last holdouts for XP 64 bit. I will eventually change over to 7, but right now, that change would really upset my gaming on Steam, and replacing all those Steam downloads won't be easy since my provider is Hughesnet, and I face a daily penalty for any downloads that exceed 250 megabytes. Hence, I will stay with the most stable software around, XP. Now, in XP, it appears that if you go into View inside the Java Control Panel, you are given the choice of a box to uncheck. That kills Java for everything, which is a lose lose situation with me.
 
The problem with java being hacked is a web page that seems perfectly legitimate may redirect you to a site that uses your java app to gain access to your PC and implant a virus. It happens quickly and silently and probably more from websites that are small private ones, porn, cheat sites or torrent. You can go into your browser settings and disable Java, then if you go to a banking site that loses functionality you can turn it back on temporarily to do your banking.

You really don't have to disable Java in order to protect your computer from hackers. There are several layers of protection you can take including re-configuring some of your Java setting using the Java Control Panel as I mentioned in my post above. (See Java SE Documentation instructions for details.)

It all really starts with your wireless router. If your pass-through security protocals up correctly INCLUDING setting strong password protection and encryption settings on top of changing Java settings accordingly, you really shouldn't have many problems. Still, I can understand the fed informing the public about this vulnerability. The really experienced hackers know how to string mulitple home computers together in order to "phish" for the information they need even if it means doing things the typical computer user thinks is only Sci-Fi and actually pulling it off (i.e., using multiple PCs to create a powerful supercomputer to find anything they want!).

Take the necessary small in-home security steps to protect your PC from being hacked and you effectively take one more PC off the insecure grid.
 
Re: Government Says to Disable Java

This site looks like it assumes everyone is using Windows 7 or Vista. I am one of the last holdouts for XP 64 bit. I will eventually change over to 7, but right now, that change would really upset my gaming on Steam, and replacing all those Steam downloads won't be easy since my provider is Hughesnet, and I face a daily penalty for any downloads that exceed 250 megabytes. Hence, I will stay with the most stable software around, XP. Now, in XP, it appears that if you go into View inside the Java Control Panel, you are given the choice of a box to uncheck. That kills Java for everything, which is a lose lose situation with me.

Sorry to hear that. Still, if you setup stronger encyrption protocals starting with your wireless router, you should be ok. If you could also set your "trust signer certificates" to warn you BEFORE changes are made to your PC, that will certainly help warn you before any changes take affect. Also, ensure your using commercial anti-virus software, not some free "limited features" cornflake software, and keep it up-to-date DAILY! even if you have to perform the undate manually.

Simple steps to an obvious potentially dangerous security problem, but there are ways to protect yourself. It starts with your security protocals in your router and goes from there.

Good Luck!
 
Re: Government Says to Disable Java

This site looks like it assumes everyone is using Windows 7 or Vista. I am one of the last holdouts for XP 64 bit. I will eventually change over to 7, but right now, that change would really upset my gaming on Steam, and replacing all those Steam downloads won't be easy since my provider is Hughesnet, and I face a daily penalty for any downloads that exceed 250 megabytes. Hence, I will stay with the most stable software around, XP. Now, in XP, it appears that if you go into View inside the Java Control Panel, you are given the choice of a box to uncheck. That kills Java for everything, which is a lose lose situation with me.

Err....Open steam, press "Steam" in the top left hand corner... and there is.. Backup and restore games. Connect a USB harddrive and back up to that... simple!
 
Google won't do any searches without Java.

Mine works fines.


You really don't have to disable Java in order to protect your computer from hackers. There are several layers of protection you can take including re-configuring some of your Java setting using the Java Control Panel as I mentioned in my post above. (See Java SE Documentation instructions for details.)

It all really starts with your wireless router. If your pass-through security protocals up correctly INCLUDING setting strong password protection and encryption settings on top of changing Java settings accordingly, you really shouldn't have many problems. Still, I can understand the fed informing the public about this vulnerability. The really experienced hackers know how to string mulitple home computers together in order to "phish" for the information they need even if it means doing things the typical computer user thinks is only Sci-Fi and actually pulling it off (i.e., using multiple PCs to create a powerful supercomputer to find anything they want!).

Take the necessary small in-home security steps to protect your PC from being hacked and you effectively take one more PC off the insecure grid.


It's pretty easy to go inside your browser addons/options and disable the Java app without losing much functionality. Oracle said today they have a fix coming out shortly, so I'll wait for that before turning it back on.
 
Re: Government Says to Disable Java

Err....Open steam, press "Steam" in the top left hand corner... and there is.. Backup and restore games. Connect a USB harddrive and back up to that... simple!

Thanks, Pete. I will give it a shot when I decide to upgrade. We had a discussion earlier, on the merits of Windows 8, so when I do upgrade, I might do the 8. It's not so bad, now.

I noticed you stated in an earlier post that Java is nonexistent in Windows 8. I searched on my new laptop, and no, it didn't find any Java, but I do hear that there is a new version of Java that will work on Desktop but not the Windows 8 Start menu.
 
Re: Government Says to Disable Java

Thanks, Pete. I will give it a shot when I decide to upgrade. We had a discussion earlier, on the merits of Windows 8, so when I do upgrade, I might do the 8. It's not so bad, now.

I noticed you stated in an earlier post that Java is nonexistent in Windows 8. I searched on my new laptop, and no, it didn't find any Java, but I do hear that there is a new version of Java that will work on Desktop but not the Windows 8 Start menu.

Well what I meant is that I did not install it, because Chrome has a java engine built in.. I think.
 
Re: Government Says to Disable Java

Well what I meant is that I did not install it, because Chrome has a java engine built in.. I think.

That explains why I didn't find it on my laptop, then.

I got sick and tired of being badgered by Adobe Air to update with the newer version so I finally discovered what it's used for. Seems it's a development tool for HTML and the like. Well, I don't do that so I dumped it. No more nag screens. Things are looking better all the time.
 
Re: Government Says to Disable Java

That explains why I didn't find it on my laptop, then.

I got sick and tired of being badgered by Adobe Air to update with the newer version so I finally discovered what it's used for. Seems it's a development tool for HTML and the like. Well, I don't do that so I dumped it. No more nag screens. Things are looking better all the time.

Also the hole has now been plugged... time to go update your java people!
 
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