Possible Java problems?

[Iowatech]

There were a couple of stories on Slash Dot (Slashdot: News for nerds, stuff that matters) today about Java concerns. Also the Firefox browser has automatically disabled the Java Development Toolkit recently. The last time those two things happened there were more problems than usual with Java on some of the machines I work on, as the usual amount of problems I encounter with Java is zero.
On a lighter note, I am not a connectivity specialist, and as such am not entirely sure what Java does on MFDs except it is for a specific use on the local network the machine is connected to. So this might just be so much nonsense.
Still, on the off chance it isn't nonsense, I thought you'd like to know.

[rthonpm]

Re: Possible Java problems?

Issues with Java browser plugins are isolated to computers. The Java add-on for copiers merely gives the machine a framework in a commonly used programming language that allows for the creation of custom or add-on programmes to extend the features of the machine. The MFP Java interface can't really be affected unless someone were to deliberately write a malicious piece of code and physically install it on the device. Even then, with the Java module sandboxed away from the core operating system of the machine (most likely some flavour of NetBSD), there's not much that it could really do.

Personal computers are generally the most vulnerable to Java based attacks because they're connecting to the internet directly and using a widely known operating system. Most other Java based devices like mobile phones, DVD players, etc use proprietary operating systems so there's not as much of an easy to spot attack vector.

Since almost no computer needs the Java browser plugin (but may use Java for programming, or other purposes), and since security issues are a very common occurrence with it, any issues you're having with MFP Java components are pretty much just a coincidence.