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Walled communities like the one supplied by current Java Virtual Machines (JVMs) are nice and safe, but sometimes you want to go outside the wall. Indeed, sometimes you must go outside, to get some work done. Suppose, for example, that you worked with a Java applet and created some really valuable data. Now you want to store it on your computer. Ooops, so sorry, Java security disallows writing on your hard disk (Historical Note: at the time this page was originally written, this was strictly true. Since then, Java has followed the path predicted in the next 2 pages, evolving toward a Spaghetti Security system in which you can punch holes if you can live with the fear).

As soon as people start desiring more from their Java applets than just flashy graphics, as soon as they want to start using data created interactively with those applets, security becomes much more complex, and needs more serious tools.

Thus we find that, having created the Perfect Security Shield, this is not really what we wanted. The user, though safe and secure, feels frustrated. He is now going to try to find ways to defeat the Shield so he can get some work done. Having the user actively working to help defeat the security system  leads to disaster, whether he succeeds or fails.

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