How do I completely remove Java from my Mac?

[Dirtyharry50]

I do not trust java and as far as I know do not need it for anything on my Mac. So, I would like to remove it entirely from OS X and also from Safari and Firefox. It does not seem worth the security risk where i am unaware of any benefit to having it on my system.

I am running OS X 10.8.3

Thanks for any help with this.

[Intell]

It isn't installed by default on 10.8. So unless you manually installed it, it isn't on your system.

[Shrink]

Originally Posted by Dirtyharry50

I do not trust java and as far as I know do not need it for anything on my Mac. So, I would like to remove it entirely from OS X and also from Safari and Firefox. It does not seem worth the security risk where i am unaware of any benefit to having it on my system.

I am running OS X 10.8.3

Thanks for any help with this.

If you want to double check, go to System Preferences > Other (which is the fifth line down). With 10.8 if it's not in Other, you don't have it installed.

Also, go to Safari > Preferences > Security...and make sure "Enable Java" is NOT checked.

[benwiggy]

Originally Posted by Dirtyharry50

It does not seem worth the security risk where i am unaware of any benefit to having it on my system.

As said, it won't be on your system unless something requires it.

Having said that, the main problem with Java relates to running malicious code in the browser.

There is nothing inherently unsafe in having Java installed on your Mac, if it is disabled in your web browser. No more so than any of the other languages installed, such as Perl, Ruby, Python, and the Unix Shell, which can all run programs to do "Bad Things".

[Dirtyharry50]

Originally Posted by benwiggy

As said, it won't be on your system unless something requires it.

Having said that, the main problem with Java relates to running malicious code in the browser.

There is nothing inherently unsafe in having Java installed on your Mac, if it is disabled in your web browser. No more so than any of the other languages installed, such as Perl, Ruby, Python, and the Unix Shell, which can all run programs to do "Bad Things".

I don't think that is correct. I read recently about an exploit in a PDF document that used java to execute. You would not need a browser to open such a PDF and presumably if java is on the system, the exploit would not need the browser/plug-in to do whatever it does.

Considering it is problematic from a security standpoint and offers no benefit at least to me personally, I consider it a good idea to simply remove it.

This is a mid-2011 iMac which originally shipped with Lion and was soon thereafter upgraded to Mountain Lion. I never deliberately installed java that I can recall but I will check as noted above to see if it is present on this system.

Okay... I checked and it does not appear in System Preferences/Other so I presume it isn't installed.



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Originally Posted by Shrink

If you want to double check, go to System Preferences > Other (which is the fifth line down). With 10.8 if it's not in Other, you don't have it installed.

Also, go to Safari > Preferences > Security...and make sure "Enable Java" is NOT checked.

Thanks. It was enabled but I just unchecked it now. I notice Javascript is enabled as well. Does this carry the same risks as allowing Java itself? Is its use prevalent on Websites such as CNN, Amazon.com, Facebook, Macrumors, etc.?

I do not understand what the difference between Java and Javascript in Safari is or if I need to be concerned about allowing Javascript to remain enabled.

Thanks.

[WordMasterRice]

Originally Posted by Dirtyharry50

Thanks. It was enabled but I just unchecked it now. I notice Javascript is enabled as well. Does this carry the same risks as allowing Java itself? Is its use prevalent on Websites such as CNN, Amazon.com, Facebook, Macrumors, etc.?

I do not understand what the difference between Java and Javascript in Safari is or if I need to be concerned about allowing Javascript to remain enabled.

Thanks.

For the most part nowadays the Internet simply doesn't function without JavaScript. Facebook would be all but broken without it. I really loath the fact that it's called JavaScript because in reality JAvascript has as much in common with Java as Carhartts do with Cars, yes they both have the word car in them but that's it.
JavaScript is named the way it is because when it was first coming out Java was beginning to become popular and the people behind it wanted to use the java name to capitalize on it's popularity. In fact the two are not related in any way.

[rocknblogger]

Originally Posted by Dirtyharry50

I do not understand what the difference between Java and Javascript in Safari is or if I need to be concerned about allowing Javascript to remain enabled.

Thanks.

Even though they share a similar name JavaScript has nothing to do with Java and is safe.

[Stooby Mcdoobie]

Originally Posted by Shrink

If you want to double check, go to System Preferences > Other (which is the fifth line down). With 10.8 if it's not in Other, you don't have it installed.

Java doesn't show up in System Preferences for me, but it's installed. I'm on 10.8.2:

[Shrink]

Originally Posted by Stooby Mcdoobie

Java doesn't show up in System Preferences for me, but it's installed. I'm on 10.8.2:

Sorry!

I was told by Apple Tech Support that with version 10.7 and below, if you have Java it appears in your Applications Folder, and 10.8 and above, it shows up under Other in the computer's System Preferences.

If you don't mind my asking, how do you know Java is installed? Where does it show up?

Thanks...

EDIT: Sorry...brain non-functional...saw the "About My Mac" information...

[GGJstudios]

Originally Posted by Dirtyharry50

I do not trust java and as far as I know do not need it for anything on my Mac. So, I would like to remove it entirely from OS X and also from Safari and Firefox. It does not seem worth the security risk where i am unaware of any benefit to having it on my system.

I am running OS X 10.8.3

Thanks for any help with this.

As others have said, Java is completely different from JavaScript (which is required for many websites to function properly). Java is not installed on OS X 10.8 unless you installed it. The primary thing you need to be concerned with related to Java is having it disabled in your browser until you visit a trusted site that requires it. Then you can enable it only for the duration of your visit.

For more information, read the What security steps should I take? section of the Mac Virus/Malware FAQ for tips on practicing safe computing.

[Stooby Mcdoobie]

Originally Posted by Shrink

Sorry!

I was told by Apple Tech Support that with version 10.7 and below, if you have Java it appears in your Applications Folder, and 10.8 and above, it shows up under Other in the computer's System Preferences.

If you don't mind my asking, how do you know Java is installed? Where does it show up?

Thanks...

I misunderstood. I have the JDK, as illustrated by the output I get when I run the java -version command in terminal; but, for some reason, I'm missing the actual Java plug-in. According to Oracle's website, you're correct - it should show up in System Preferences.

[Dirtyharry50]

Thanks all for the clarification on javascript. I did some reading about it since asking and was not aware it is so prevalent on the Web. I tend to stick to well known trusted sites so I'm not too worried about javascript now.

As for java, I did run: java - version in a terminal window as a check to see if it was installed and found it was not for sure. I got the message back: No java runtime present and then a dialog box popped up offering to install it if I wanted, which I dismissed with a no thanks.

Thank you again everyone for the helpful information.

[hotelmedicis]

I have completely removed JAVA from my MacBook Pro and have not looked back. No regrets. I simply don't need it on my machine and though I use Gmail I will deal with the basic look instead of the standard look. One bummer is that you need Java for managing your Apple ID.

If you don't NEED Java on your machine, dump it. Period. If you find later that you do need it, it's a simple re-install that takes just a few minutes.

Bombproof your mac!

[GGJstudios]

Originally Posted by hotelmedicis

If you don't NEED Java on your machine, dump it. Period. If you find later that you do need it, it's a simple re-install that takes just a few minutes.

It's not necessary to remove it to be safe. If you simply disable it in your browser, you can surf securely. Then, when you encounter a trusted site that needs it, you can enable it for the duration of your visit.

[benwiggy]

Originally Posted by hotelmedicis

If you don't NEED Java on your machine, dump it. Period. Bombproof your mac!

There are several other environments on your Mac that can run code which can do Bad Things™. The Unix shell, Perl, Python, Ruby, AppleScript, and various forms of C. And EMACS, probably. ;-) All of these can be used to execute "Malicious" code.

The only difficult bit is getting the code onto your Mac and executing it. The only problem with Java was that you could execute Java unchecked in a browser, which makes an easy attack vector.

Patches to Java itself, along with Apple's white/black list for Java in Safari makes the Java installation completely safe (well, as safe as any other language and the code you choose to run on it).