Hello, this is Eric Maurice again.

Oracle released the February 2011 Critical Patch Update for Java SE and Java for Business today. As discussed in a previous blog entry, Oracle currently maintains a separate Critical Patch Update schedule for Java SE and Java for Business because of commitments made prior to the Oracle acquisition in regards to the timing for the publication of Java fixes.

Today's Java Critical Patch Update includes fixes for 21 vulnerabilities. The most severe CVSS Base Score for vulnerabilities fixed in this CPU is 10.0, and this Base Score affects 8 vulnerabilities.

Out of these 21 vulnerabilities, 13 affect Java client deployments. 12 of these 13 vulnerabilities can be exploited through Untrusted Java Web Start applications and Untrusted Java Applets, which run in the Java sandbox with limited privileges. One of these 13 vulnerabilities can be exploited by running a standalone application.

In addition, one of the client vulnerability affects Java Update, a Windows-specific component.

3 of the 21 vulnerabilities affect client and server deployments. These vulnerabilities can be exploited through Untrusted Java Web Start applications and Untrusted Java Applets, as well as be exploited by supplying malicious data to APIs in the specified components, such as, for example, through a web service.

3 vulnerabilities affect Java server deployments only. These vulnerabilities can be exploited by supplying malicious data to APIs in the specified Java components. Note that one of these vulnerabilities (CVE-2010-4476) was the subject of a Security Alert released on February 8th.

Finally, one of these vulnerabilities is specific to Java DB, a component in the Java JDK, but not included in the Java Runtime Environment (JRE).

As usual, because of the severity of the vulnerabilities fixed in this Critical Patch Update, Oracle recommends that Java customers apply it as soon as possible. The Critical Patch Advisory provides more details about the vulnerabilities addressed in the Critical Patch Update as well as instructions on how to install the fixes and where to get them. Home users should use the Java auto-update mechanism to install the latest version of the Java Runtime Environment 6 update 24 or higher (JRE), which includes the fix for this vulnerability.

For More Information:

The Critical Patch Updates and Security Alerts page is located at http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/alerts-086861.html

More information on Oracle Software Security Assurance is located at http://www.oracle.com/us/support/assurance/index.html

Consumers can go to http://www.java.com/en/download/installed.jsp to ensure that they have the latest version of Java running on their desktops. More information on Java Update is available at http://www.java.com/en/download/help/java_update.xml