Oracle has announced plans to retire the Java internet browser app on September 2016. Outdated versions of Java are one of the leading risk factors for the spread of browser based malware. The discontinuation of Java should be a great boon for IT security but it also creates a problem; many large businesses still use Java as backbone for custom software.
Java has long created a problem for IT departments because of the prevalence of Java specific malware. The problem is Java is ubiquities among PC users. 97% of enterprise desktops and 89% of consumer desktops run Java. This means that when a Zero Day vulnerability hits Java, everyone is affected, a fact that makes the platform all the more tempting to hackers.
Google has already removed support for Java from its Chrome internet browser and Microsoft has taken the same step with the release of Windows 10 and its Edge browser platform. The problem comes in the form of legacy systems. Java is a versatile scripting language that has been used for everything from spreadsheets, to monitoring the system temperature of hardware, or even maintaining heavy machinery. With the discontinuation of Java, these systems will need to remain in their current state or cease to the function; a serious problem if the software requires access to the internet to work.
Oracle plans to deprecate the Java browser this September as part of the JDK 9 update and will remove the application entirely at a later unknown date. If your business still uses Java as part of your main business operations, it’s time to look for a new solution.
– Richard Keene
IT Computer Support of New York
Webmaster and Lead Designer
