How to avoid installing “Unlimited Strength” JCE policy files when deploying an application?

Question

I have an app that uses 256-bit AES encryption which is not supported by Java out of the box. I know to get this to function correctly I install the JCE unlimited strength j

Answer 1

Here's a updated version of ntoskrnl answer. It additionally contains a function to remove the final modifier like Arjan mentioned in the comments.

This version works with JRE 8u111 or newer.

private static void removeCryptographyRestrictions() {
    if (!isRestrictedCryptography()) {
        return;
    }
    try {
        /*
         * Do the following, but with reflection to bypass access checks:
         * 
         * JceSecurity.isRestricted = false; JceSecurity.defaultPolicy.perms.clear();
         * JceSecurity.defaultPolicy.add(CryptoAllPermission.INSTANCE);
         */
        final Class jceSecurity = Class.forName("javax.crypto.JceSecurity");
        final Class cryptoPermissions = Class.forName("javax.crypto.CryptoPermissions");
        final Class cryptoAllPermission = Class.forName("javax.crypto.CryptoAllPermission");

        Field isRestrictedField = jceSecurity.getDeclaredField("isRestricted");
        isRestrictedField.setAccessible(true);
        setFinalStatic(isRestrictedField, true);
        isRestrictedField.set(null, false);

        final Field defaultPolicyField = jceSecurity.getDeclaredField("defaultPolicy");
        defaultPolicyField.setAccessible(true);
        final PermissionCollection defaultPolicy = (PermissionCollection) defaultPolicyField.get(null);

        final Field perms = cryptoPermissions.getDeclaredField("perms");
        perms.setAccessible(true);
        ((Map) perms.get(defaultPolicy)).clear();

        final Field instance = cryptoAllPermission.getDeclaredField("INSTANCE");
        instance.setAccessible(true);
        defaultPolicy.add((Permission) instance.get(null));
    }
    catch (final Exception e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
}

static void setFinalStatic(Field field, Object newValue) throws Exception {
      field.setAccessible(true);

      Field modifiersField = Field.class.getDeclaredField("modifiers");
      modifiersField.setAccessible(true);
      modifiersField.setInt(field, field.getModifiers() & ~Modifier.FINAL);

      field.set(null, newValue);
   }

private static boolean isRestrictedCryptography() {
    // This simply matches the Oracle JRE, but not OpenJDK.
    return "Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment".equals(System.getProperty("java.runtime.name"));
}