Oracle patches security issues with Java 7 Update 13

One day after Apple blocked Java 7's latest update from running on OS X, Oracle on Friday released a new version reportedly addressing vulnerabilities seen with the last build.

According to a critical update advisory from Oracle, the newest Java 7 Update 13 version was originally scheduled for a Feb. 19 release date, but "in the wild" vulnerabilities prompted the company to accelerate its latest patch.

It was discovered earlier this month that a zero-day flaw in the Java Runtime Environment was being exploited by nefarious websites, and was so serious that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned users to disable the web plugin. In response, Apple disabled Java 7 through the OS X anti-malware system, requiring users to have at least version "1.7.0_10-b19" installed on their Macs. Friday's release carries the designation "1.7.0_13-b20," meeting Apple's requirements.

Oracle "strongly recommends" applying the CPU fixes as soon as possible, saying that the latest Critical Patch Update contains 50 new security fixes across all Jave SE products.

Apple's blocking of Java on Thursday was the second time in less than a month that the web plugin was disabled for OS X users.