Critical Java SE update due Tuesday fixes 40 flaws

Thought your Java security woes were behind you? Think again. Oracle is planning to release a Critical Patch Update on Tuesday that affects multiple versions of Java, and it's another doozy.

According to Oracle's security announcement, the patch pack addresses 40 different vulnerabilities. All update levels of Java SE 5, 6, and 7 are affected by the flaws, as are all versions of JavaFX.

Of the 40 bugs, all but three are remotely exploitable over a network without the need for a username or password. Yes, that's bad. Oracle ranks the severity of its flaws using the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS), and the top-ranked bug in this particular update rates a 10.0 – the highest possible score.