Java Applet

Essay # 116380

Computer and Technology > Internet
Computer and Technology > Programming
Computer and Technology > Software

Java Applet

A look at the security concerns associated with the use of Java applets.

708 words () | 10 sources | MLA | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the security issues associated with downloading Java applets, noting that, since the applets are downloadable from web browsers, they present security risks. The paper looks at Java applet's security features, but shows how they are open to being exploited. Other problems with applets, such as browser incompatibility, lack of read/write facility, and the new 'Signed' applet risks, are also explored and the paper notes that they have caused the applet to be slightly more vulnerable to security breaches than should be possible with the application. The paper then relates that these problems are known by Sun, and are therefore likely to be resolved in the near future.

From the Paper:

"An applet is a small program ("little application") which is not run on its own, but is rather used as part of another program. A Java Applet is "An application which is written in the Java programming language and is dynamically downloadable by a web browser such as Netscape" (Surveyor.com), Java Applets are intended to be embedded in browsers, and the best way to use them is through such browsers.
The fact that Java Applets are downloadable from web browsers naturally raises concerns about the security of such operations: downloading is one of the main sources of computer viruses and other invasions. Fortunately, the Java Applets conform to a high security standard."

Sample of Sources Used:

Boone, Kevin. "How to use the JDK Java applet viewer" retrieved 05/02/2008 from http://www.kevinboone.com/howto_appletviewer.html
Burns, Joe "So, you want a Java Applet, huh?" (2008) retrieved 05/02/2008 from http://www.htmlgoodies.com/beyond/java/article.php/3470731
Felten, Edward W. "Security Tradeoffs: Java vs ActiveX" retrieved 05/02/2008 from http://www.cs.princeton.edu/sip/faq/java-vs-activex.html
MozillaZine Knowledge Base "Java" (2007) retrieved 05/02/2008 from http://kb.mozillazine.org/Java
Princeton Secure Internet Programming Team "Java Security FAQ" (1998) retrieved 05/02/2008 from http://www.cs.princeton.edu/sip/faq/java-faq.php3