Effective immediately, Automox is no longer able to support patching for Oracle SE Java 8. Many third-party software providers have EULAs (End User License Agreements) that prevent patching solutions from directly redistributing patches or software updates. Recently, Oracle’s Java SE 8 went through the “End of Public Updates” process for legacy releases. Patches can vary by system architecture and platform but the fundamentals remain the same. What this means for Automox users is that Automox will no longer be able to enable third-party application patching for Oracle SE Java 8 without violating the EULA from Oracle.
Customers currently reliant on Automox to help automate this process will need to adopt a new approach to patch Java 8 moving forward. This process is shown below, as well as is documented on the Automox Alive community and in our customer support knowledge base.
Automox can still help to automate patching of third party applications like Java 8 on your terms through the power of Automox Worklets. Automox is one of the few cloud-native endpoint management platforms with the ability to quickly and easily deploy patches regardless of physical location and without costly on-premises appliances or tools.
How to Update Oracle SE Java 8 Software
For Oracle’s SE Java 8, a login to Oracle’s support portal is a prerequisite in addition to accepting Oracle’s EULA. The patch is available for download afterwards and then can be uploaded to the Automox Console for distribution.
The key actions for adding third-party patches into the Automox Console:
1. Obtain the patch through manual download of the “offline” install file or via Worklet.
Review all required third-party EULA terms and conditions ensuring alignment with your company policies and legal charter, and manually download the patch or leverage the power and flexibility of Automox Worklets to automate the process altogether.
2. Upload the patch to the Automox Console.
A straight-forward but necessary requirement, uploading the file to the Automox Console adds the patch to the ecosystem for your organizational use. This is an important step in ensuring that endpoints are able to obtain the required patch from the Automox Console.
3. Make adjustments to policies (if necessary).
Make any necessary adjustments to policies in applying the patch to devices in scope. This might mean altering the installation syntax if command line parameters have changed. If no existing required software policy exists for the patch, create a new one and add the name, version, and installation script syntax. For additional information on creating a required software policy, please see our detailed documentation.
An example installation script for Windows systems and Java SE 8 can be found on the Automox Community.
Join the Automox Community: A Resource for IT Collaboration & Security Information
Oracle is just one of many vendors with problematic EULAs that make public third-party patching more involved and that’s why the Automox Alive Community is so important. As an initiative to transform the landscape of endpoint management with openness and collaboration, we encourage all of Automox’s customers to join our community in automating and altering outcomes of closed-ecosystem support.
As software providers include additional hurdles to patching their own software, the burden will continue to be on IT and security operations teams to quickly address new vulnerabilities in software and ensure proper cyber hygiene. To accomplish this, the Automox Community is a critical tool for sharing and discovering Worklets that can help your organization address these issues.
Not only will you find helpful Worklets, but you'll have access to a wealth of knowledge from fellow Automox customers and Automox employees. Each conversation within the community aligns with one of our various categories, giving you a broad variety of topics to engage with. You can find the latest Worklets (and even share your own!) within the Worklets category, read some of the latest cybersecurity updates in the Security News category, and learn about our newest updates in the Automox category.
To get started in the community, go to community.automox.com and sign up.
About Automox Automated Patch Management
Facing growing threats and a rapidly expanding attack surface, understaffed and alert-fatigued organizations need more efficient ways to eliminate their exposure to vulnerabilities. Automox is a modern cyber hygiene platform that closes the aperture of attack by more than 80% with just half the effort of traditional solutions.
Cloud-native and globally available, Automox enforces OS & third-party patch management, security configurations, and custom scripting across Windows, macOS, and Linux from a single intuitive console. IT and SecOps can quickly gain control and share visibility of on-prem, remote and virtual endpoints without the need to deploy costly infrastructure.
Experience modern, cloud-native patch management today with a 15-day free trial of Automox and start recapturing more than half the time you're currently spending on managing your attack surface. Automox dramatically reduces corporate risk while raising operational efficiency to deliver best-in-class security outcomes, faster and with fewer resources.
