Delete your old Java installers: they could be compromised.
If your downloads folder is a mess of installers and documents from ages past, you might occasionally check it before downloading a piece of software like Java. Oracle put out a statement Friday saying that those old installers might be compromised by files you’ve downloaded since, and that the only safe thing to do is delete the installer and download a fresh copy of Java.
The old installers are vulnerable to an exploit called binary planting, PC World is reporting. Older Java installers check the current directory and load up a number of DLL files, meaning any user who is tricked into downloading a malicious DLL could wind up giving attackers near total access to their computer.
“If successfully exploited, it results in a complete compromise of the unsuspecting user’s system,” wrote Eric P. Maurice, Oracle’s software security assurance director, who further explained that actually taking advantage of the security hole would be difficult.
“To be successfully exploited, this vulnerability requires that an unsuspecting user be tricked into visiting a malicious website, and downloading files to the user’s system before installing Java 6, 7, or 8,” he said. It’s an unlikely sequence, but not impossible — especially considering the way files tend to cluster in the downloads file and overwhelm users.
Oracle has issued a patched installer that addresses the issue, but the firm can’t retroactively patch installers already on your computer. Oracle outlined the specific versions that were vulnerable: “Java SE users who have downloaded any old version of Java SE prior to 6u113, 7u97, or 8u73 for later installation should discard these old downloads and replace them with 6u113, 7u97, or 8u73 or later,” the notice from Oracle states.
But if you really want to protect yourself from these exploits, keep your downloads folder tidy. If you don’t recognize a file there, delete it, otherwise store it somewhere else. If that’s too much effort, consider dragging executables to their own folder before running them.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.