Somewhat unexpected, since I was toying with other packages (pondering pipelight, updating kdelibs) and started to read a new book after finishing one that I have mixed feelings about… there was an announcement of OpenJDK 7u45, which is a security release.

Using the IcedTea 2.4.3 build harness, this release synchronizes the OpenJDK code with the upstream “Update 45 Build 31” tag. Please update your installed openjdk or openjre packages with this new version, since it fixes a lot of security issues (again):

  - S8006900, CVE-2013-3829: Add new date/time capability
  - S8008589: Better MBean permission validation
  - S8011071, CVE-2013-5780: Better crypto provider handling
  - S8011081, CVE-2013-5772: Improve jhat
  - S8011157, CVE-2013-5814: Improve CORBA portablility
  - S8012071, CVE-2013-5790: Better Building of Beans
  - S8012147: Improve tool support
  - S8012277: CVE-2013-5849: Improve AWT DataFlavor
  - S8012425, CVE-2013-5802: Transform TransformerFactory
  - S8013503, CVE-2013-5851: Improve stream factories
  - S8013506: Better Pack200 data handling
  - S8013510, CVE-2013-5809: Augment image writing code
  - S8013514: Improve stability of cmap class
  - S8013739, CVE-2013-5817: Better LDAP resource management
  - S8013744, CVE-2013-5783: Better tabling for AWT
  - S8014085: Better serialization support in JMX classes
  - S8014093, CVE-2013-5782: Improve parsing of images
  - S8014098: Better profile validation
  - S8014102, CVE-2013-5778: Improve image conversion
  - S8014341, CVE-2013-5803: Better service from Kerberos servers
  - S8014349, CVE-2013-5840: (cl) Class.getDeclaredClass problematic in some class loader configurations
  - S8014530, CVE-2013-5825: Better digital signature processing
  - S8014534: Better profiling support
  - S8014987, CVE-2013-5842: Augment serialization handling
  - S8015614: Update build settings
  - S8015731: Subject java.security.auth.subject to improvements
  - S8015743, CVE-2013-5774: Address internet addresses
  - S8016256: Make finalization final
  - S8016653, CVE-2013-5804: javadoc should ignore ignoreable characters in names
  - S8016675, CVE-2013-5797: Make Javadoc pages more robust
  - S8017196, CVE-2013-5850: Ensure Proxies are handled appropriately
  - S8017287, CVE-2013-5829: Better resource disposal
  - S8017291, CVE-2013-5830: Cast Proxies Aside
  - S8017298, CVE-2013-4002: Better XML support
  - S8017300, CVE-2013-5784: Improve Interface Implementation
  - S8017505, CVE-2013-5820: Better Client Service
  - S8019292: Better Attribute Value Exceptions
  - S8019617: Better view of objects
  - S8020293: JVM crash
  - S8021275, CVE-2013-5805: Better screening for ScreenMenu
  - S8021282, CVE-2013-5806: Better recycling of object instances
  - S8021286: Improve MacOS resourcing
  - S8021290, CVE-2013-5823: Better signature validation
  - S8022931, CVE-2013-5800: Enhance Kerberos exceptions
  - S8022940: Enhance CORBA translations
  - S8023683: Enhance class file parsing

I tested as usual whether jMol and Minecraft were still working (they do) and became quite annoyed about Orcacle’s java checker refusing to recognize the new OpenJDK. At least, all other test URLs work fine, like this one at javatester.org. Stupid Oracle.

I told you to get the packages! So, get them already. They have been compiled on Slackware 13.37 and are useable on 13.37 as well as 14.0 and -current! Get them preferably from a mirror site (faster downloads):

Further packages that are recommended/required:

  • Optional: If you want a Java browser-plugin you must install icedtea-web (OpenJDK itself does not contain such a plugin).
  • Required: The rhino package is a dependency of the openjdk/openjre package. It contains the JavaScript engine for OpenJDK.

Note that you should only install one of the two packages, either openjdk or openjre, do not install both at the same time or things will break! The openjdk package contains the jre (java runtime) as well as the java development kit.

Eric