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Java

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Java was developed by Sun as a platform-independent programming language. On Web pages with Java, visitors load a little Java applet that runs on the local computer. Often, Web designers use such applets for additional services, such as news tickers or rotating 3D objects. More complex applications, such as applications related to database queries, can also be implemented with Java.

Java programs run in a "sandbox"; in other words, the applets run within a closed environment called the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) that has no access to local resources such as files or programs. Although this concept makes Java a secure technology, mistakes during the implementation of the JVM may cause vulnerabilities. In such cases, special Java applets may, for instance, access local files. Several such security holes have been detected in the past.

Java can be enabled or disabled separately in all browsers. State-of-the-art browsers support Java through plug-ins. Sun offers such plug-ins for Windows, Linux and Solaris. The following window displays the version number of the Java runtime environment installed in your browser - if you have one. You should update the Java software regularly since such updates also provide remedies for security problems.