Like the “__ days since the last accident” signs that are common in workplaces, the Java Zero-day Countdown web site provides a quick check on Java’s current security issues.

Recall that a zero-day exploit/attack/threat is “an attack that exploits a previously unknown vulnerability in a computer application, meaning that the attack occurs on ‘day zero’ of awareness of the vulnerability.” [from Wikipedia]

Java has been hit by a stream of such attacks in recent months, and despite new security-tightening features added by Oracle (Java’s developer), there’s no end in sight. Java’s ubiquity makes it a prime target for the perpetrators of malicious hacks.

Maybe some day Oracle will tighten Java’s security to the point where sites like the Java Zero-day Countdown aren’t necessary. Until that happens, it’s a good way to get a quick overview on current threats to Java.