Security

Security is a particularly important issue for web-based launching of the Unravel application. This arises because of potential intrusion of viruses or malware from untrusted applications. While the developer can reassure potential users that the Unravel software is trustworthy, proving it is not simple. The Unravel application has a significant demand for local disk access, particularly when solving complex cubes (i.e. cubes of large size). The most common requirement is for write/read access of cube state. For Web Start operation, the required access is accomplished using settings reviewed in Running from Web Start, by the signing of all jar files specific to the application and by using the following setting in the urvwbs.jnlp Web Start launch file:
    <security>
        <all-permissions/>
    </security>
Even with this setting, the user will receive a "Warning - Security" message that will indicate that "The security certificate was issued by a company that is not trusted" and that "The security certificate has not expired and is still valid". To proceed, users will have to indicate their willingness to trust the certificate with "Yes" (for this time) or "Always".

Due to security issues some browsers do not support applet viewing. When applet operation is permitted and the user selects that option, program operation takes place in the "sandbox" with restricted access to the user's local file system.