Apple Releases Second Update to Java in Two Days

Apple has released its second update in two days to the OS X implementation of Java. The first update closed a vulnerability that has led to the infection of more than 600,000 Macs via a trojan horse. The infections have received increased media attention in the past day, including a splashed headline on the Drudge Report.

javaupdate
While yesterday's Java for OS X Lion 2012-001 update closed the vulnerability in Java 1.6.0_29, there's no indication what the new update -- called Java for OS X 2012-002 -- fixes. The update notes link to the same support document as update 2012-001.

Last year, Apple introduced a security update to OS X that would automatically remove malicious software from OS X installations. It isn't clear if the infected machines can be fixed via the internal OS X security mechanisms.

In OS X Mountain Lion, the next version of the OS X software that will be released this summer, Apple will include a feature called Gatekeeper. The new system relies not only on Mac App Store distribution as means of vetting apps, but also on a new "identified developer" program under which developers distributing their applications outside of the Mac App Store can register with Apple and receive a personalized certificate they can use to sign their applications. Apple can then use that system to track developers and disable their certificates if malicious activity is detected.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
iphone 17 cyber

iPhone 17 Demand Is Breaking Apple's Sales Records

Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC. Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple. Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
chatgpt logo

Sam Altman Declares 'Code Red' for ChatGPT, Delays OpenAI Advertising Plans

Tuesday December 2, 2025 3:30 pm PST by
OpenAI is deprioritizing work on advertising as it focuses on improving the quality of ChatGPT, reports The Information. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman declared a "code red" on Monday, and told employees that the company needs to improve ChatGPT so it doesn't fall behind competitors like Google and Anthropic. Altman said that OpenAI needs to work on personalization for each user, image generation,...
Sad Siri Feature

Apple AI Chief John Giannandrea Retiring After Siri Delays

Monday December 1, 2025 2:16 pm PST by
Apple AI chief John Giannandrea is stepping down from his position and retiring in spring 2026, Apple announced today. Giannandrea will serve as an advisor between now and 2026, with former Microsoft AI researcher Amar Subramanya set to take over as vice president of AI. Subramanya will report to Apple engineering chief Craig Federighi, and will lead Apple Foundation Models, ML research, and ...

Top Rated Comments

Dragado Avatar
178 months ago
It's also Friday the 6th right now.
Does this mean the world's going to end again? I don't think I can take another world ending; I may die of laughter.

Hi. Can you guys tell me whether you think my Macbook got infected? Yesterday I did a search for "msnbc live feed online." Two of the results were websites called zahipedia.info.com and the other epctv.com. I can't remember which of the two it was (I think the latter), but, when I went to it, a small window popped up telling me that I should clean my computer of junk. I clicked OK to get rid of the window, then Safari froze up. I couldn't even quit it until I forced quit it via Finder. Could this have infected my computer? My Macbook is fairly new and, as far as I know, free of junk. Is epctv a dangerous site? Why did it tell me I had junk? How would I find out if I got infected? Thanks.
By the way, laws of computing 101: The OK button agrees to something, the Cancel/close window button disagrees. If you click OK, know what you're saying OK to.

EDIT: In other words, stop using it to close windows.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fel10 Avatar
178 months ago
66.6 :eek:

Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MonkeySee.... Avatar
178 months ago
I love how these "professionals" are calling it a virus :rolleyes:
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MarkMS Avatar
178 months ago
Straight from Apple's Java mailing list. Just an issue with Xcode and App Loader in OS X Lion. Snow Leopard users don't need the tiny update.

Java developers,

Today we re-shipped our Java 1.6.0_31 for OS X Lion today to address a critical issue we found in Xcode and the Application Loader tool. This new "Java for OS X 2012-002" package is effectively identical to "Java for OS X 2012-001", with the exception of a few symlinks and version numbers.

For the sake of expediency, we have re-rolled the automatic update as our standard full combo updater, with the hope that most users have not yet been presented with 2012-001. We considered creating a delta update for users who already installed 001, but that would have made the process of getting these fixes to you take longer.

We apologize for the inconvenience, and would like to offer our thanks to the developers who caught this issue and reported it to us as quickly as they did. This issue only impacts Lion users, so Snow Leopard users have nothing to reinstall.

Over the next few days, we will catch up with producing updated release notes, tech notes, and developer packages with the revised 002 version numbers.

Manual download links:
Java for OS X 2012-002: <http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1515>
Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 7: <http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1516>
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jabman Avatar
178 months ago
Hey if it's broken fix it.:cool:
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Morod Avatar
178 months ago
Hi. Can you guys tell me whether you think my Macbook got infected? Yesterday I did a search for "msnbc live feed online." Two of the results were websites called zahipedia.info.com and the other epctv.com. I can't remember which of the two it was (I think the latter), but, when I went to it, a small window popped up telling me that I should clean my computer of junk. I clicked OK to get rid of the window, then Safari froze up. I couldn't even quit it until I forced quit it via Finder. Could this have infected my computer? My Macbook is fairly new and, as far as I know, free of junk. Is epctv a dangerous site? Why did it tell me I had junk? How would I find out if I got infected? Thanks.

To find out if you're infected, do this:


Originally Posted by Sirolway
What's the easiest way to determine if you're infected?...


In terminal run:
Quote:
defaults read /Applications/Safari.app/Contents/Info LSEnvironment
You should get this error:
Quote:
The domain/default pair of (/Applications/Safari.app/Contents/Info, LSEnvironment) does not exist
Then run:
Quote:
defaults read ~/.MacOSX/environment DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES
You should get this error:
Quote:
The domain/default pair of (/Users/YOURUSER/.MacOSX/environment, DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES) does not exist


You can copy and paste the two commands into Terminal. To open Terminal, go to Finder>Applications>Utilities>Terminal. Double click on Terminal. Hit enter after each command.
Just be careful when using Terminal. It's one of the few places where you can really mess up your computer.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)