Quoting chiawaikian

I read somewhere that we should disable the Java cache as a security precaution.

The Java cache is basically like your temporary internet items folder, except it is used for stuff that Java downloads. It does not hurt to clean it out once in a while, anything you need can be re-downloaded from the originating site if you need it again. But disabling it entirely is a little paranoid, in my opinion. There had been a few viruses that used Java for distribution and installation, and so the uber-paranoid started yelling "Disable your Java Cache!!!!! Agggghhh!! The Java viruses are coming!!! Aggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!"

Nonsense. Any good (and up-to-date) antivirus app will scan your Java cache and detect viruses there. If you are really concerned, empty your Java cache occassionally.

1. How do you do this?

Go to your Start Menu -> Control Panel -> Java. When it opens, look to the bottom of the window, the section titled Temporary Internet Files. Click the Settings button there. Then on the window that opens, click the button View Applets. This will show you all the applets that have been downloaded to your system. In the bottom left, you will see a checkbox that says Enable Caching. Click that off, and you will no longer store items in your cache.

2. Why benefits do you gain by doing this?

Very little. A Java distributed virus will not be stopped from entering your computer by this. You could still get a Java distributed virus on your system which could do some damage. It simply means that it cannot be stored on your computer and re-triggered again by a suspect site. But as I said, occassionally clearing the cache, and running regular antivirus scans with current definitions will detect and quarantine bad items in your cache.

3. What Java functionality do you lose if you do this?

You won't lose functionality. You will just slow yourself down a little if you regularly visit sites that use cached Java applets. For instance, if you play Java games online, or go to a chat-site that is powered by Java, the first time you visit, the applets needed are sent to your computer. This can take some time. The next time you visit, if the files are already in your cache, then you do not need to download them again. You can start playing or chatting or whatever more quickly than if you had to download several files again. If you have good highspeed internet, this may not be noticeable, but if you have slow broadband or dial-up, you will notice the difference.

Note that from the procedure I outlined above, you will see a list of all cached applets and be able to see what website they came from. You can then manually delete any applet you are suspicious of or just want to clean out, but leave intact any applets you recognize as being part of a legitimate site you visit often.

You can also see applet files by going to C:\Documents and Settings\*your_user_name*\Application Data\Sun\Java\Deployment\cache\



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