Apple lets latest Java update back on Mac OS X

USERS of Apple Mac OS X are once again able to use Java following Oracle's release of its latest security update.

The Macbook maker released a patch on 1 February allowing Java to run on Mac OS X, just days after blocking it in built-in security tools.

Apple had blocked Java by adding it to the XProtect blacklist in late January amid security concerns.

Security researchers had warned that criminals were exploiting a zero day vulnerability in Java using an attack linked to the infamous Blackhole exploit kit.

The vulnerability's discovery led to a backlash within the security community that culminated in the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) urging users to disable Java in their web browsers.

Though Oracle has released many patches designed to fix Java's vulnerabilities there are still ongoing security concerns about Java applets.

Most recently social media service Twitter reported attackers had compromised 250,000 passwords in a data breach that some industry watchers said was related to Java vulnerabilities.

While news regarding the Twitter data breach remains vague, security experts have suggested that Java would provide hackers one of the most direct routes to the data.

The incidents have led to calls for users to turn off Java to prevent security breaches. µ

This article was originally published on V3.