Microsoft Ends Java Virtual Machine Support

Microsoft gave notice Thursday that it removed 10 security patch downloads, all associated with Microsoft Java Virtual Machine (JVM) technology.

Patch downloads were removed from the following security bulletins: MS03-011, MS02-069, MS02-052, MS02-013, MS00-081, MS00-075, MS00-059, MS00-011, MS99-045 and MS99-031. Some of those bulletins date back nine years.

The bulletins addressed bugs that could use Java-based applets to take over a workstation after a user visited a malicious Web site. The Microsoft JVM technology that was being patched affected older operating systems, such as Windows 95, and older Web browsers, such as Internet Explorer 5.

Microsoft originally licensed its JVM technology from Sun Microsystems. Redmond now no longer supports Microsoft JVM technology. The support ended as of June 30, 2009, according to the security bulletins and a Microsoft support page.

The discontinuance of support for Microsoft JVM technology comes a little more than two months after Oracle agreed to buy Sun Microsystems. If the deal passes the approvals processes, Oracle might consolidate some of Sun's Java-based tools.

Java itself likely won't be affected by the deal. Sun placed most of the Java programming language under the open source GNU General Public License.

The scuttling of patch support for Microsoft JVM follows a massive security update issued by Redmond in June. The company likely will provide a preview of its July patch next week.

Meanwhile, this week, Redmond issued four service packs for its Forefront and Antigen enterprise-class security software. The releases include Forefront Security for Exchange Servers SP2, Forefront Security for SharePoint SP3, Antigen for Exchange Spam Manager 9.0 SP2 and Antigen for SMTP Gateways Spam Manager 9.0 SP2.

Last month, Microsoft issued a number of betas for its Forefront products.

About the Author

Jabulani Leffall is a business consultant and an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in the Financial Times of London, Investor's Business Daily, The Economist and CFO Magazine, among others. He consulted for Deloitte & Touche LLP and was a business and world affairs commentator on ABC and CNN.

Featured

  • open laptop in a college classroom with holographic AI icons like a brain and data charts rising from the screen

    4 Ways Universities Are Using Google AI Tools for Learning and Administration

    In a recent blog post, Google shared an array of education customer stories, showcasing ways institutions are using AI tools like Gemini and NotebookLM to transform both learning and administrative tasks.

  • illustration of a human head with a glowing neural network in the brain, connected to tech icons on a cool blue-gray background

    Meta Launches Stand-Alone AI App

    Meta Platforms has introduced a stand-alone artificial intelligence app built on its proprietary Llama 4 model, intensifying the competitive race in generative AI alongside OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and xAI.

  • three main icons—a cloud, a user profile, and a padlock—connected by circuit lines on a blue abstract background

    Report: Identity Has Become a Critical Security Perimeter for Cloud Services

    A new threat landscape report points to new cloud vulnerabilities. According to the 2025 Global Threat Landscape Report from Fortinet, while misconfigured cloud storage buckets were once a prime vector for cybersecurity exploits, other cloud missteps are gaining focus.

  • Stylized illustration showing cybersecurity elements like shields, padlocks, and secure cloud icons on a neutral, minimalist digital background

    Microsoft Announces Security Advancements

    Microsoft has announced major security advancements across its product portfolio and practices. The work is part of its Secure Future Initiative (SFI), a multiyear cybersecurity transformation the company calls the largest engineering project in company history.