Some advice from Slate: It's time to disable Java

<p>How vulnerable is Java to hackers? Just last year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a warning to computer users concerning the security holes associated with the applet. And earlier this year, Java security holes left millions of Internet users in danger of serious malware attacks. It's no wonder, then, that Slate writer Will Oremus is advising computer users everywhere to disable Java on their machines. And if you want to protect yourself from cyber attacks, you'll follow Oremus' advice.</p> <p><strong>Skip the patch</strong></p> <p>How ardently does Oremus feel about Java's security weaknesses? He suggests that computer users not even bother with all the security patches that Java has released. He advises instead that users completely disable Java. This actually is practical. Most computer users rarely use Java. Only a few Web sites are still fueled by Java applets. It's important to note, too, that when you disable Java, you're not actually removing it from your computer. Should you need it, then, you can temporarily enable it again.</p> <p><strong>Java's Problems</strong></p> <p>The trouble with Java is that it is very susceptible to hackers. In the latest breach, hackers used holes in Java to control the machines of Internet surfers who visited compromised Web sites. The company that owns Java, Oracle, lost little time in putting out a fresh security patch to fix this issue. Nevertheless, Java has a history of security leaks, and there's no reason to trust that hackers won't locate new ones to take advantage of.</p> <p><strong>The disabling process</strong></p> <p>Luckily for us, it doesn't take much computer savvy to disable Java on your computer, however the steps vary depending on your Web browser. For Firefox, choose "Tools" from the browser's main menu. Then click "Add-ons" and check the "Disable" button beside the listed Java plug-ins. In Safari, click "Safari" on your browser's main menu. Select "Preferences" before selecting the "Security" tab. Here you will see a button checked next to "Enable Java." Uncheck it. With Chrome, type or copy "Chrome://Plugins" in the address bar. When Java plug-ins appear, click the "Disable" buttons beside them. It's more complex to turn off Java when you're using Internet Explorer. The best way to understand how is to visit <a href=”http://www.java.com/en/download/help/disable_browser.xml” >http://www.java.com/en/download/help/disable_browser.xml</a></p>

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