A serious security vulnerability in Java has been plugged by the latest update. Users should download the update to version 11 of Java 7 as soon as possible, the developer Oracle advises.
Java applications and applets are installed on most computers and many programmes and websites don't function without them. The update can be downloaded from the Oracle website or else via the automatic update function.
Security experts had warned that the vulnerability could allow attackers to smuggle malware onto people's computers and advised users to temporarily disable Java in their browsers.
Oracle has changed the security settings so that in future an unsigned Java application, behind which an attacker could hide, won't automatically run anymore. Instead the user will have to confirm with a click that they want the application to run.