java uninstall tool messed up my computer

Living without Java is much less of a challenge than living without Adobe Flash.Īll programs have bugs and may have security holes, so why the Draconian approach? Sorry to say, I don't have enough confidence in Oracle's ability to fix it. There were a few things I could no longer run, such as KeepVid for downloading YouTube videos and some ASDL speed tests, so I had to find alternatives. I therefore regard Java as an unnecessary security risk, and I removed it from our home PCs years ago. Windows components and Internet Explorer were only exploited in 3% of incidents.' Yes, it's that bad.

It said: 'Java security holes were responsible for 50% of attacks. Things got worse, and Kaspersky, a leading anti-virus company, dubbed 2012 The year of Java vulnerabilities. In fact, Java became the main vehicle for malware attacks in the third quarter of 2010, when they increased 14-fold, according to Microsoft's Security Intelligence Report Volume 10 (PDF). ( Zero day means there is no patch for the hole, so users cannot protect themselves by updating their software.) This also happened last August, and The Register published a story saying Disable Java NOW, users told, as 0-day exploit hits web. Java has been in the news this year because of some 'zero day' vulnerabilities exploited by malware writers. The name was changed for marketing reasons that disgraced both the companies involved, neither of which survived. JavaScript was originally developed by a different company (Netscape) under a different name (LiveScript). Note that Java has nothing to do with JavaScript, which is another language used to develop websites and apps. It's the 'client-side' Java running via web browser plug-ins that is not safe.

Many companies have used the Java language to develop business applications that run on servers, and this 'server-side' Java is safe. If you are a business user, you may not have a choice. If you are a typical home user, you can probably do without it. I think everyone should uninstall Java from all their PCs and Macs, and then think carefully about whether they need to add it back.

Java uninstall tool messed up my computer