Java Security FAQ: Reading Files

Here's an applet that tries to read the first line of the file /etc/passwd:

and here's the source.

Netscape Navigator 2.0 won't let applets read files, regardless of setting the acl.read property.

If you add the line

	acl.read=/etc

to your ~/.hotjava/properties file, then the appletviewer will be able to read any file in the /etc directory, including /etc/passwd.

If you add the file name specifically,

	acl.read=/etc/passwd

then the appletviewer will be allowed to read just that one file, but not other files in the /etc directory.

Conclusion: Don't add files or directories to acl.read in ~/.hotjava/properties, if you don't want the appletviewer to allow applets to read those files.

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