Disable Java in Mac OS X

Here’s a tip for Mac OS X users out there that want to tighten up the security on their computers given recent exploits targeting Java and the slow release of updates from Apple.

The simplest way to turn off Java is by searching for “Java Preferences” in the Spotlight search and opening it. Once opened, make sure you are in the “General tab and then  untick all of the boxes on the left hand side of window. This will disable all of the Java runtimes on your Mac which is ideal if you don’t actually use it and will prevent Java from being a vector for malware infection. It’s a quick and simple way to avoid hassle later on.

On a more positive note, Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) ships with Java not installed by default which means that is one less things for most users to worry about with their machines.

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