Why you should patch your Java Runtime Environment
Security restrictions could be compromised in earlier versions of JDK and JRE 6, says vendor Sun.
Robert Vamosi Former Editor
As CNET's former resident security expert, Robert Vamosi has been interviewed on the BBC, CNN, MSNBC, and other outlets to share his knowledge about the latest online threats and to offer advice on personal and corporate security.
According to Secunia, Sun Microsystems has patched a vulnerability that could allow malicious attackers to bypass certain security restrictions.
Secunia says, "The security issue is caused due to the JRE processing external XML entity references even though the 'external general entities' property is set to FALSE. This can be exploited to e.g. access certain URLs or cause a DoS (denial of service) via malicious XML documents."
Sun says that the JDK and JRE 6 Update 4 for multiple platforms is available for download.