U.S. government alert: disable Java to avoid hacking attempts

(If you get overwhelmed while reading this you can always contact us for help!)

1/12/2013  –  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security urged computer users to disable Oracle Corp’s Java software, amplifying security experts’ prior warnings to hundreds of millions of consumers and businesses that use it to surf the Web.

Hackers have figured out how to exploit Java to install malicious software enabling them to commit crimes ranging from identity theft to making an infected computer part of an ad-hoc network of computers that can be used to attack websites.

Who is Affected? Both Windows and Apple users are at risk.

Solution
This and previous Java vulnerabilities have been widely targeted by attackers, and new Java vulnerabilities are likely to be discovered. To defend against this and future Java vulnerabilities, consider disabling Java in web browsers until adequate updates are available. As with any software, unnecessary features should be disabled or removed as appropriate for your environment.

Disable Java System-Wide in Mac OS X
Open “Java Preferences” from /Applications/Utilities/
Uncheck “Enable applet plug-in and Web Start applications”
Uncheck “ON” next to Java SE

Disable Java on Windows
Open Control Panel and launch the Java applet.
Click the Security tab. In previous versions this tab just allows advanced users to manage Java-related certificates. It now displays a security-level slider and, more important, a single checkbox titled “Enable Java content in the browser.” Un-check this box, click OK, and you’re done.

On Specific Web Browsers
Chrome? Enter chrome://plugins in the browser’s address bar. Scroll down to Java and click the link to disable it.
Safari, choose Preferences, choose Security, and deselect Enable Java.
The easiest way to disable Java in Internet Explorer is to avoid using this browser.
Firefox users can click the Firefox button at the top and choose Add-ons from the resulting menu. On the Plugins tab, click the Disable button next to “Java(TM) Platform.”

Bonus Tip: The best way to avoid any viruses is to always use common sense and do not click on things that seem too good to be true (Free Downloads etc) unless you trust the page you’re on…and links on social media pages or posts from your “Friends” on Facebook should not be trusted !