Firefox blocking outdated Java plugin

Question

On ubuntu 14.04, Firefox (v30.0) is telling my Java plugin is outdated, and does not allow it to run. How can I fix this, either by updating java or removing this "security" check?

$ java -version
java version "1.8.0_45"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_45-b14)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.45-b02, mixed mode)

$ uname -a
Linux pc 3.13.0-45-generic #74-Ubuntu SMP Tue Jan 13 19:36:28 UTC 2015 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Thanks

Solution

You have installed Oracle Java 8

1. sudo update-alternatives --config mozilla-javaplugin.so
   

2. Select the right plug-in

   Example output

% sudo update-alternatives --config mozilla-javaplugin.so

There are 3 choices for the alternative mozilla-javaplugin.so (providing /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin.so).
  Selection    Path                                                  Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
* 0            /usr/lib/jvm/java-9-oracle/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so       1086      auto mode
  1            /usr/lib/jvm/java-7-oracle/jre/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so   1085      manual mode
  2            /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle/jre/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so   1083      manual mode
  3            /usr/lib/jvm/java-9-oracle/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so       1086      manual mode

2. Select your right version

---

Or another solution:

1. sudo mkdir -p /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
   cd /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
   

2. Find the right plugin:

   find /usr -name "libnpjp2.so"
   

   Example output

   % find /usr -name "libnpjp2.so"
   /usr/lib/jvm/java-7-oracle/jre/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so
   /usr/lib/jvm/java-9-oracle/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so
   /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle/jre/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so

3. Create a symbolic link. E.g.:

   ln -s /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle/jre/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so
   

4. Restart your browser and check your Java here.

Comments

[Nuno Silva]

hmm, somehow after selecting the "auto mode" alternative and clicking on "Later" when Firefox asks what to do with the outdated plugin, Java started working again. And update-alternatives now warns that: There is only one alternative in link group mozilla-javaplugin.so (providing /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin.so): /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle/jre/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so Nothing to configure. Thanks!