Today, computer systems everywhere run on networks, and most computer users have a connection to the Internet. In only a few seconds or minutes, anyone can download a program and run it locally. The disadvantage is that a downloaded program might contain a virus or execute code that invades your company's privacy, your privacy, or your system's vital resources causing havoc and grief that can take days, months, and even years to undo. It is no wonder computer security is an important topic. People all over the world want to enjoy the benefits of a world-wide network while keeping their systems safe from electronic attack. The Java^TM Development Kit (JDK^TM) 1.2 meets this need with an enhanced security architecture and new tools to provide a secure and ready-built platform for running Java applets and applications.

A Brief History

Security policy is the set of rules and practices that control how sensitive information is managed, protected, and distributed. New JDK releases continue to enhance the security features and policies inherent in the Java language and built into the Java platform. To understand where Java security is headed, it can help to understand where Java security has been. JDK 1.0.2 restricts applets to a sandbox, which is the area of the web browser dedicated to that applet. An applet can do anything inside its sandbox, but cannot read or alter data outside its sandbox, and cannot communicate across its sandbox. All Java applications have unrestricted access to system resources. JDK 1. 1 introduces digitally signed Java ARchive (JAR) files. A programmer bundles an applet and all related files in a JAR file and digitally signs it. The person who downloads the applet verifies the signature. If the verification succeeds, the applet runs with full access to system resources. If the verification fails, the applet is confined to a sandbox.

Although a digitally signed JAR file can contain a Java application, a failure of the signature verification does not restrict the Java application. As in JDK 1.0.2, all applications run with full and unrestricted access to system resources regardless of whether they pass signature verification.

JDK 1.2 empowers end users and system administrators to extend the security policy to applications and determine how much access to system resources an applet or Java application can have. The JDK 1.2 security policy is easy to configure, provides fine-grained access control, and applies to all Java applets and applications.

New Security Architecture

In JDK 1.2, applets running in a browser and Java applications invoked with special options to the java command run in a restricted sandbox-like environment. The new architecture lets you grant Java applets and applications permission to access certain specific system resources outside their restricted environments.

The new architecture is very flexible. You could, for example, grant one application read access to a file and another write access to the same file.

You could also grant an applet from http://www.ze1da.com/ read and write access to a file in c: \temp.

Because the default behavior for Java applets and applications running in restricted environments is no access to system resources, all access to system resources such as file systems, networking facilities, screens, keyboards, disk drives, and printers is not allowed unless specifically granted. The restricted environments also prevent communications between Java programs.

New JDK 1.2 Tools

JDK 1.2 provides the following security tools to access the new JDK 1.2 security features:

• java.security.manager
• Key Tool (replaces Java Key in JDK 1.1)
• Policy Tool
• JAR Signer

java.security.manager

Add the java.security.manager option to the java command to execute a Java application in a restricted environment. Including the -Djava.app.class option ensures that any application in the specified path is subject to the security policy in force.

java -Djava.app.class.path="/home/zelda/apps"
java.security.manager anApplication

Key Tool

Key Tool is a command line script for managing the public and private key pairs stored in the keystore file in a user's home directory. The key pairs are for signing JAR files. Policy Tool and JAR Signer access the key pair information stored in the keystore file with Key Tool.

Key pairs enable a type of cryptography where the private key is kept secret and the public key is generally available. The keys in the pair have a mathematical relationship, so if you encrypt a JAR file with your own private key, the recipient of the JAR file can decrypt it with your public key. Likewise, anyone can send another person a JAR file encrypted with the recipient's public key, which the recipient decrypts with his or her private key.

View Key Tool options and parameters by typing keytool and its -help option:

phoenix% keytool -help

The -genkey option and parameters add a key pair to the specified keystore file or create a new keystore file with its first key pair. The public key is wrapped into a self-signed certificate and stored with the private key as a single- element certificate chain identified by an alias. A certificate is a digitally signed statement from one person, company, or organization saying the key of another person, company, or organization has a particular value.

Click here for documents that describe Key Tool and its options in detail.

Policy Tool

Policy Tool is a graphical user interface (GUI) available to system administrators and end users to assign public keys and access permissions to Java programs. It is a convenient interface to the system-wide and individual policy configuration files. Start Policy Tool by typing:

phoenix%policytool

Open a policy configuration file from the File menu. There is one policy configuration file for the system and an optional file for each user. The system configuration file is in (java. home)/lib/security/java.policy, and the user configuration files are located in each user's home directory.

Access permissions assigned in the user file override and add to the permissions assigned in the system file to give specific users access over that generally allowed to users on the system.

Whenever Policy Tool is started, it tries to fill in its window with policy information from the user policy fila, which by default, is named .java.policy in your home directory. If Policy Tool cannot find the user policy file, it reports it and displays the following blank window.

Click here for documents that describe Policy Tool in detail.

JAR Signer

JAR Signer is a command line script for signing and verifying JAR files. One of its parameters is the passphrase to the keystore and private key so it can find the key to sign or verify the JAR file. Only people who know the passphrase can access a key to sign and verify a JAR file.

Click here for documents that describe JAR Signer and its options in detail.

Monica Pawlan is a staff writer on the JDC team. She has a background in 2D and 3D graphics, security, database products, and loves to explore emerging technologies. monica.pawlan@eng.sun.com

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