Apple has taken another step towards making OS X safer on the web. An update released on Wednesday sees the Java plugin removed from all Mac-compatible browsers installed on the system.
The latest update -- which you only need to install if you have installed Java -- blocks Java from running in the browser. If users come across a web page that requires Java, they are offered a chance to download the latest version, and making future updates their problem, not Apple's.
Java is used by web browsers to allow web developers to provide extra functionality, although its use has declined dramatically in recent years.
Previously, Apple stopped bundling Java with OS X and instead gave users the option to install it themselves. A later update then turned Java off in the browser when users haven't used it for a while.
Now Apple takes things to the logical conclusion.
Java has also been at the heart of a number of malware scares, including the Flashback Trojan that infected an estimated 600,000 Macs back in April, and attack that Apple was mostly to blame for. Then, in August, another serious vulnerability found in the platform that put millions of Windows and Mac users at risk from hacker.
Most experts agree that unless you absolutely, positively need Java, the best thing that you can do is to disable it. Chances are that you won't even notice that it's gone. This update from Apple makes it simple for Apple users to do just that.
The easiest way to bring in this update is to fire up Software Update and bring in all the updates your system needs.
For Windows users out there, I point you to the excellent guide to disabling Java by security journalist Brian Krebs.
