Java Runtime Environment (JRE) - International Business Machines (IBM)

General Information

Technologies must be operated and maintained in accordance with Federal and Department security and privacy policies and guidelines. More information on the proper use of the TRM can be found on the TRM Proper Use Tab/Section.

Website:	Go to site
Description:	The International Business Machines (IBM) Java Runtime Environment (JRE) provides runtime support for Java applications. The JRE includes the IBM J9 Virtual Machine (JVM), which interprets Java code at run time. This technology provides a set of standard class libraries that implement the Java Application Programming Interface (API), a Java Applet Viewer, and supporting applications and files. Although the JRE is included with the IBM Software Development Kit (SDK), it is also available as a separate package on Windows platforms through specific IBM products. This entry is written towards the IBM JRE.
Technology/Standard Usage Requirements:	Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.
Section 508 Information:	This technology has not been assessed by the Section 508 Office. The Implementer of this technology has the responsibility to ensure the version deployed is 508-compliant. Section 508 compliance may be reviewed by the Section 508 Office and appropriate remedial action required if necessary. For additional information or assistance regarding Section 508, please contact the Section 508 Office at Section508@va.gov.
Decision:	View Decisions

Decision Source:	TRM Mgmt Group
Decision Process:	One-VA TRM v24.4
Decision Date:	04/01/2024 at 02:11:16 UTC
Introduced By:	Enterprise Program Management Office (EPMO) TRM Team
Vendor Name:	International Business Machines (IBM)

Vendor Release Information

The Vendor Release table provides the known releases for the TRM Technology, obtained from the vendor (or from the release source).

Version	Release Date	Vendor Desupport Date
1.4.2	04/30/2002	09/30/2011
5	09/01/2006	09/30/2012
6	12/05/2007	09/30/2017
6SR8 (6u19)	03/30/2010	09/30/2017
6SR9 (6u22)	10/12/2010	09/30/2017
6SR9FP1 (6u24)	02/15/2011	09/30/2017
6SR9FP2 (6u26)	06/07/2011	09/30/2017
6SR10 (6u29)	10/18/2011	09/30/2017
6SR10FP1 (6u31)	02/14/2012	09/30/2017
6SR11 (6u33)	06/12/2012	09/30/2017
6SR12 (6u37)	10/16/2012	09/30/2017
6SR13 (6u39,6u41)	02/19/2013	09/30/2017
6SR13FP2 (6u45)	04/16/2013	09/30/2017
6SR14 (6u51)	06/18/2013	09/30/2017
6SR15 (6u65)	10/15/2013	09/30/2017
6SR15FP1 (6u71)	01/14/2014	09/30/2017
7SR2 (7u5,7u7)	06/12/2012	09/30/2019
7SR3 (7u9)	10/16/2012	09/30/2019
7SR1 (7u1,7u3)	02/14/2013	09/30/2019
7SR4 (7u13,7u15)	02/19/2013	09/30/2019
7SR4FP2 (7u21)	04/16/2013	09/30/2019
7SR5 (7u25)	06/18/2013	09/30/2019
7SR6 (7u45)	10/15/2013	09/30/2019
7SR6FP1 (7u51)	01/14/2014	09/30/2019
7R1SR2FP10	01/20/2015	09/30/2019
8	02/11/2015
8SR1	05/31/2015
8SR1FP10	07/31/2015
8SR2
8SR2FP10	01/31/2016
9FR	07/29/2016
8.x	02/11/2015

Current Decision Matrix (03/27/2024)

Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.

The VA Decision Matrix displays the current and future VA IT position regarding different releases of a TRM entry. These decisions are based upon the best information available as of the most current date. The consumer of this information has the responsibility to consult the organizations responsible for the desktop, testing, and/or production environments to ensure that the target version of the technology will be supported. Any major.minor version that is not listed in the VA Decision Matrix is considered unapproved for use.

Legend:

White	Approved: The technology/standard has been approved for use.
Yellow	Approved w/Constraints: The technology/standard can be used within the specified constraints located below the decision matrix in the footnote[1] and on the General tab.
Gray	Unapproved: This technology or standard can be used only if a POA&M review is conducted and signed by the Authorizing Official Designated Representative (AODR) as designated by the Authorizing Official (AO) or designee and based upon a recommendation from the POA&M Compliance Enforcement, has been granted to the project team or organization that wishes to use the technology.
Orange	Divest: VA has decided to divest itself on the use of the technology/standard. As a result, all projects currently utilizing the technology/standard must plan to eliminate their use of the technology/standard. Additional information on when the entry is projected to become unapproved may be found on the Decision tab for the specific entry.
Black	Prohibited: The technology/standard is not (currently) permitted to be used under any circumstances.
Blue	Planning/Evaluation Constraint:The period of time this technology is currently being evaluated, reviewed, and tested in controlled environments. Use of this technology is strictly controlled and not available for use within the general population. If a customer would like to use this technology, please work with your local or Regional OI&T office and contact the appropriate evaluation office displayed in the notes below the decision matrix. The Local or Regional OI&T office should submit an inquiry to the TRM if they require further assistance or if the evaluating office is not listed in the notes below.

Release/Version Information:

VA decisions for specific versions may include a ‘.x’ wildcard, which denotes a decision that pertains to a range of multiple versions.

For example, a technology approved with a decision for 7.x would cover any version of 7.(Anything) - 7.(Anything). However, a 7.4.x decision would cover any version of 7.4.(Anything), but would not cover any version of 7.5.x or 7.6.x on the TRM.

VA decisions for specific versions may include ‘+’ symbols; which denotes that the decision for the version specified also includes versions greater than what is specified but is not to exceed or affect previous decimal places.

For example, a technology approved with a decision for 12.6.4+ would cover any version that is greater than 12.6.4, but would not exceed the .6 decimal ie: 12.6.401 is ok, 12.6.5 is ok, 12.6.9 is ok, however 12.7.0 or 13.0 is not.

<Past

CY2019

CY2020

CY2021

Future>

Release

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

5

Unapproved

6

Unapproved

6SR15FP1 (6u71)

Unapproved

7SR1 (7u1,7u3)

Unapproved

7SR6FP1 (7u51)

Unapproved

7R1SR2FP10

Unapproved

8

Unapproved

8SR2FP10

Divest
[3, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Unapproved

9FR

Approved w/Constraints
[3, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Unapproved

8.x

Unapproved

Approved w/Constraints
[3, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Approved w/Constraints
[3, 6, 9, 10, 11]

Decision Constraints


[1]	JRE - IBM should be leveraged only on IBM platforms where the Sun JRE is not supported. Users must ensure that all patches and updates are applied in accordance with VA Handbook 6500 policy to mitigate known and future security vulnerabilities involved, or additional mitigating controls must be documented in an approved System Security Plan (SSP).

[2]	A waiver from the Architecture and Engineering Review Board (AERB) is required for the use of version 6SR15FP1 or earlier. This technology should be leveraged only on IBM platforms where Oracle Java SE 7 JRE is not supported.

[3]	Due to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) identified security vulnerabilities, extra vigilance should be applied to ensure the versions remain properly patched to mitigate known and future vulnerabilities. The local ISO can provide assistance in reviewing the NIST vulnerabilities.

[4]	A waiver from the Architecture and Engineering Review Board (AERB) is required for the use of versions 7R1SR2FP10 and earlier. This technology must be leveraged only on IBM platforms where the JRE-Oracle is not compatible or when this product is built into TRM-approved IBM technologies.

[5]	A waiver from the Architecture and Engineering Review Board (AERB) is required for the use of versions 7R1SR2FP10 and earlier. This technology must be leveraged only on International Business Machines (IBM) platforms where the Java Runtime Environment (JRE)-Oracle is not compatible or when this product is built into TRM-approved IBM technologies.

[6]	Users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Office (ISO) or local OIT representative for permission to download and use this software. Downloaded software must always be scanned for viruses prior to installation to prevent adware or malware. Freeware may only be downloaded directly from the primary site that the creator of the software has advertised for public download and user or development community engagement. Users should note, any attempt by the installation process to install any additional, unrelated software is not approved and the user should take the proper steps to decline those installations.

[7]	Per the May 5th, 2015 memorandum from the VA Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) FIPS 140-2 Validate Full Disk Encryption (FOE) for Data at Rest in Database Management Systems (DBMS) and in accordance with Federal requirements and VA policy, database management must use Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 compliant encryption to protect the confidentiality and integrity of VA information at rest at the application level. If FIPS 140-2 encryption at the application level is not technically possible, FIPS 140-2 compliant full disk encryption (FOE) must be implemented on the hard drive where the DBMS resides. Appropriate access enforcement and physical security control must also be implemented. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500 and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. It is the responsibility of the system owner to work with the local CIO (or designee) and Information Security Officer (ISO) to ensure that a compliant DBMS technology is selected and that if needed, mitigating controls are in place and documented in a System Security Plan (SSP).

[8]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[9]	A waiver from the Architecture and Engineering Review Board (AERB) is required for the use of versions 7R1SR2FP10 and earlier. This technology must be leveraged only on International Business Machines (IBM) platforms where the Java Runtime Environment (JRE)-Oracle is not compatible or when this product is built into TRM-approved IBM technologies.

[10]	Per the May 5th, 2015 memorandum from the VA Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) FIPS 140-2 Validate Full Disk Encryption (FOE) for Data at Rest in Database Management Systems (DBMS) and in accordance with Federal requirements and VA policy, database management must use Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 compliant encryption to protect the confidentiality and integrity of VA information at rest at the application level. If FIPS 140-2 encryption at the application level is not technically possible, FIPS 140-2 compliant full disk encryption (FOE) must be implemented on the hard drive where the DBMS resides. Appropriate access enforcement and physical security control must also be implemented. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500 and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. It is the responsibility of the system owner to work with the local CIO (or designee) and Information Security Officer (ISO) to ensure that a compliant DBMS technology is selected and that if needed, mitigating controls are in place and documented in a System Security Plan (SSP).

[11]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

Note:

At the time of writing, version 8.0.8.21 or Version 8, Service Refresh 8 (SR8) Fix Pack 21 (FP21) is the most current version, released 03/19/2024.

References

The following reference(s) are associated with this entry:
Type	Name	Source	Description
*NOTE: Vendor provided information is subject to the accuracy of the manufacturer.

Technology Components

Note: This list may not be complete. No component, listed or unlisted, may be used outside of the technology in which it is released. The usage decision for a component is found in the Decision and Decision Constraints.
Name	Description
No components have been identified for this entry.

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Domain Area	Category	Customer Guidance	Category Locked By ELT Date
Application Technology Development Tools	Development Frameworks

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) - Approved w/Constraints
Windows Client - Approved w/Constraints
Windows Server - Approved w/Constraints
z/OS - Approved w/Constraints

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

No runtime dependencies have been identified.

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

At the time of writing, no National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) vulnerabilities had been reported and no VA Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC) bulletins had been issued for the latest versions of this technology.
There is no licensing fee associated with this technology.
This is a well-documented technology.
At the time of writing, there are a limited number of TRM options providing this functionality. The addition of this technology will provide end users with multiple viable options.

Adoption Risks

The potential for vendor lock exists when utilizing proprietary vendor technologies.
Due to the rapid release schedule of this technology, the VA may be unable to update to the most recent patch and may require a deployment model requiring the use of specific versions
This technology is available as freeware. As such this technology may be without clearly defined support options which may result in suboptimal enterprise level support.
The potential exists to store Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI) and/or VA Sensitive data and proper security standards must be followed in these cases.
Although this vendor utilizes Federal Information Processing (FIPS) 140-2 encryption, there is no indication based on the vendor documentation or the Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) that this technology is Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 certified.

Architectural Benefits

This technology can be extended through the use of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
This technology is portable as it runs on multiple TRM-approved operating systems.
This technology is compatible with virtual machines, therefore consistent with the enterprise Server Virtualize First Policy (VAIQ 7266972 08-27-2012).

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VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

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