Endpoint Protection

The SEP installer is calling /usr/libexec/java_home, which is a symlink to an Apple Java proprietary binary.  Since all it does when invoked without arguments is return a value for $JAVA_HOME... I cheated and replaced it with a tiny script that just echoes out the literal string for the Java 7 Home directory.  Et voila, I no longer need the soon-to-be-out-of-date Apple Java 6 to install SEP!

This doesn't excuse Symantec from fixing their installer so it does NOT require Apple Java 6.

Out of curiosity, what's the exact version of SEP and what OS are you installing on? Looks to be Linux which is actually SAV for Linux that you're installing. Correct?

Hi jnojr,

Many thanks fo rthe post- just to clear up any confusion:

Java is necessary for SAV for Linux and for SEP for Mac- both of those currently use Java LiveUpdate to download new content.  SEP and the SEPM on Windows shouldn't need Java at all.

Cheers again!

Mick

Hello,

I completely agree with Mick's comment above. 

In case of SAV for Linux, check these Articles:

Best practice to install Symantec Antivirus for Linux.

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH150596

Symantec Antivirus (SAV) for Linux Installation Checklist

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH134163

Secondly, SEP for Mac needs Java in order to run LiveUpdate and keep up-to-date.  This is crucial as there are new threats being discovered very often which can affect Mac and other platforms.

Apple's Java support page directs users of Lion (OS X 10.7.5) and Mountain Lion (OS X 10.8.2 or later) to go to http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp (which is Oracle's page) to obtain Java 7 as a new installation. In other words, I don't think there is any such thing as "Apple Java" any longer, for Lion or Mountain Lion.

If you're using Snow Leopard, I don't believe you can install anything but the Java provided through Software Update.

Reference: https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/which-jre-mac-os-symantec-endpoint-protection-sep

Hope that helps!!

I don't think jnojr is disputing the Java requirement, but more pointing out that it works fine with Java 7.

As far as the software looking specifically for Java 6 however, this is likely just down to what Symantec has had time to test.  Presumably the QA processes at the time did not include Java 7, so the only way for them to ensure they can support the product in its entirety is to make it use Java 6.

Perhaps you could submit this as a forum IDEA for Symantec to update the Java requirement more often?  This would certainly be of benefit to endpoint security while Oracle continue to address the various vulnerabilities in Java.