Apple "deprecates" Java in OS X, releases fixes

Apple this week released security updates for Java for Mac OS X Leopard (10.5) and Snow Leopard (10.6), but hinted in its release notes that the software may be removed from future versions of its operating systems. The updates, here and here, fix several bugs that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code, according to a Thursday advisory from US-CERT. “Developers should not rely on the Apple-supplied Java runtime being present in future versions of Mac OS X,” the release notes state. The Java runtime shipping in Leopard and Snow Leopard will, however, continue to be supported, Apple said. The declaration from Apple comes the same week as Microsoft warned of mass exploitation of Java to foist malware.  — AM