Howto: Secure Java in three easy steps

Java has had a poor security reputation for some years now but January 2013 saw spectacular failures. Despite numerous fixes internet threats continue to break into victims' computers using security holes in Java.

If you uninstall Java you will be significantly safer than if you don't, but is that really the answer? After all, you may need to use Java to run some important piece of software. Or Minecraft.

The Java attacks that everyone is talking about are varied but occur when the victim browses an infected website. You can increase your computer's security massively by disabling Java in the browser, rather than throwing the baby out with the bathwater and ditching Java entirely.

Here's how you do it.

1. Open the Windows Control Panel and select the Java section.
2. Click on the Security tab.
3. Untick the option called 'Enable Java content in the browser' and click OK.

3. Untick the option called 'Enable Java content in the browser'

These instructions won't work if you are using a version of Java earlier than Java 7 Update 10. You should always update Java as a matter of course so, if you don't have the option listed in step three above, update and then try again.