How to Modify Custom Jar Files with Permissions and Codebase Attributes

Oct 24, 2013

Updated: May 15, 2014

Due to the latest Java security patches beginning with JRE 1.7.0_25 and higher (especially JRE 1.7.0_45), all jar files have to be updated with the codebase and permissions attributes (and also the Application-Name attribute starting with JRE 1.7.0_45 although not mandatory at this time). For any jar files supplied by Oracle, please install Oracle Patch 16837591. NOTE: Do NOT update the Oracle jar files yourself! PITSS will not be held responsible if the Oracle jar files are tampered with. For steps on how to install the patch, please review our KB article at https://pitss.com/us/2013/09/26/missing-required-permissions-manifest-attribute-in-main-jar/.

To update any custom-made jar files (or even jacob.jar) to include these parameters in the Java code, you may follow these steps:

NOTE: In this example, MIDDLEWARE_HOME is C:\Oracle\Middleware (/oracle/middleware) and the ORACLE_HOME for Forms/Reports is C:\Oracle\Middleware\as_1 (/oracle/middleware/as_1)

  1. Navigate to %ORACLE_HOME%\forms\java ($ORACLE_HOME/forms/java).
  2. Create a new file called mymanifest.txt using a text editor.
  3. Add the following values into the text file:
    • Permissions: all-permissions
    • Codebase: *
    • Application-Name: OracleForms
    • image
    • IMPORTANT: Please add a line below the Application-Name attribute. Otherwise, this attribute will not be added to the manifest file!
  4. Save and close the file.
  5. In Command Prompt (Windows) or your SSH client (Unix), echo your PATH environment variable to make sure your JDK is in the PATH. Example: C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_45\bin;… If it is not there, update the PATH variable as follows (using JDK 1.7.0_45 as an example):
    • Windows: set PATH=C:Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_45\bin;%PATH%
    • Unix: export PATH=/oracle/jdk1.7.0_45/bin:$PATH
  6. Make sure you are in %ORACLE_HOME%\forms\java ($ORACLE_HOME/forms/java) and run the following command:
    • jar –ufm name_of_jar.jar mymanifest.txt
    • Example: jar –ufm jacob.jar mymanifest.txt
  7. Repeat step 6 for any other custom-made jar files.
  8. Resign any jar files you have updated in steps 6 and 7.
  9. Restart WLS_FORMS
  10. Close all browser windows and start a new browser window. Launch your Forms application.

If successful, you should no longer see the “Missing permissions manifest…” and “Missing codebase manifest…” errors for your custom-made jar files.

Source: Oracle Support note 1583119.1