Oracle has advised customers to hold off on installing the latest macOS 14.4 Sonoma update amid concerns that it disrupts Java functionality on Apple silicon CPUs.
The problem, which occurs sporadically, causes Java processes to abruptly terminate on affected Macs equipped with M1, M2, and M3 processors.
All versions of Java, ranging from Java 8 to the latest early access builds of JDK 22, are impacted, with no immediate workarounds available.
Aurelio Garcia-Ribeyro, Oracle's Senior Director of Product Management, cautioned users about the lack of available fixes, noting that reverting a macOS update isn't straightforward without a comprehensive system backup.
The issue stems from the response of macOS running on Apple silicon when a Java process attempts to access memory in protected regions. Previously, macOS would signal the process to handle the situation, but in macOS 14.4, it terminates the process, causing disruptions to Java operations.
Oracle has notified customers, Apple, and OpenJDK partners about the issue, advising users to postpone updating until a resolution is provided.
Other Problems with macOS 14.4
In addition to Java issues, users who have already updated to macOS 14.4 Sonoma have reported various other problems:
