Security Watch Update Your JRE And Adobe Reader Now!
A vulnerability has been reported in the Sun Java Runtime Environment (JRE). It is caused due to an error when processing GIF images; it can be exploited via specially-crafted GIF images. Successful exploitation can mean the taking over of your computer by Those With Malicious Intent (TWMI). The vulnerability is reported in JDK with JRE 5.0 Update 9 and prior; SDK with JRE 1.4.2_12 and prior; and SDK and JRE 1.3.1_18 and prior. Security firm Secunia rates the vulnerability “Highly Critical.”
In all probability, you downloaded Java for the JRE at some point of time. The JRE allows you to run Java applications off the Net. To see what version of the JRE you have, go to the Java applet in the Control Panel, and in the General tab, click About.
Strictly speaking, there’s no need to check what version you have-simply upgrade to the latest version. Head to http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/ download.html to download the J2SE JRE, version 1.4.2_13.
A vulnerability has also been reported in Adobe Reader. It is caused due to an unspecified error when processing PDF files; it can be exploited via a specially-crafted PDF file. Again, Successful exploitation can mean the taking over of your computer by TWMI.
The vulnerability is reported in version 7.0.8 and prior, though other versions may be affected, too. Fixing this is a simple matter of upgrading to the latest version-8.0-which you’d want to do anyway, even without the vulnerability. At http://www.adobe.com/, click “Get Adobe Reader.”