Apple updates Java with security patches

With Lion set to debut next month, Apple has released updates for Snow Leopard and Leopard. Mac OS X 10.6.8 could be a prerequisite for Lion.

Written by: Stephen Withers | Published in: SecurityApple has released an update for Java 6 on Snow Leopard, Lion and Mountain Lion.

After weeks of '10.6.3 is imminent' stories, Apple has finally released the latest version of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard with a substantial list of improvements including more than 50 security fixes.

Microsoft might be figuring out that the best way to get users to use its product isn’t by charging an arm and a leg for updates and releasing them only once every few years.

MobileMe subscribers still using Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard may benefit from Apple's offer of a free copy of 10.6 Snow Leopard.

Apple has just released a security update for Mac OS X that is designed to detect and remove Mac Defender malware. But unless you’re running the latest ‘Snow Leopard’ version, you’re outta luck.

I put on Lion on my mac ... a biiiiiiiig mistake. The machine is only 1yr old and Lion just crashes, hangs up more than windows 98. Wonderful. I lost one of the install disks for the os before Snow Leopard and the snow leopard disk was an upgrade and with Lion on it, wouldn't work anyway ...so left without a usable operating system.

Apple has released new Java security updates that remove the most common variants of the Flashback malware.

We are a small shop, no real sysadmin. So developers (Java EE) also try to maintain Ubuntu server 12.0.4.

When I login a terminal and I see messages like:

6 packages can be updated. 6 updates are security updates.

Should all security updates always be installed? can some be ignored? Should these be acted upon immediately?