Java bug's bite dims Sun's rays.

The status of fashionable programming language Java took a knocking last week after a Princeton University boffin said he had uncovered a security bug in the software.

Professor Edward Fellen, an assistant professor of computing science, claimed that anyone using Netscape Navigator runs the risk of losing hard drive data because of the bug.

According to reports from the US, Sun has acknowledged that there is a big problem with Java and is moving fast to fix it. That means that users can expect an upgrade, probably some time this week, and will force Netscape to bring out yet another version of its Navigator browser.

The bug works by creating a potential booby trap on any Internet Web page, allowing hackers to use a software back door into a PC or workstation.

They can then treat the surfer's hard drive as their own.

Security is a persistent worry for Net users and Netscape itself has suffered from bugs discovered by researchers over the last year. But both companies are denying that this latest bug has caused a rift between them.

Meanwhile Sun continued its push into the market with a range of additional products including Java development tools, server hardware, mail messaging and protocols for building intranets.

That will strengthen Sun's hand against Microsoft, which has made determined efforts over the last three months to improve its Internet offerings.

Sun has also introduced three servers intended for the US market which range in price from $5,000 to $20,000.