Low Level Security in Java

Abstract

TheJava(tm) language allowsJava-compatible Web browsers to download codefragments dynamically and then execute those codefragments locally. However, users must be wary ofexecuting any code that comes from untrusted sources or that passes through an insecure network. This paper presents the details ofthe lowest-levels oftheJava security mechanism. Before any downloaded code is executed, it is scanned and verified to ensure that it conforms to the specifications of the virtual machine.