When you perform an update to the SAS Private Java Runtime Environment (JRE), a backup of the JRE files is created. These backup files might be temporarily required for post-installation instructions during a JRE update process. In all scenarios, these backup files are retained even after the SAS Private JRE update process is completed. Once the SAS Private JRE update process is fully complete, the backup JRE files are no longer used by any SAS processes.
Administrators might wish to remove the backed-up JRE versions. Retaining the backed-up JRE versions does not pose a problem but might cause nuisances with non-SAS services.
For example, the backed-up JRE might be detected on a security scan and might result in a Java deprecated-version warning appearing to require an upgrade. An example from a security scan tool is provided below. Please note that details such as the file-paths, CVE List, "installed" and "fixed" versions will vary:
Update / Remove Programs
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment
Installed version : 11.88.18 (SA)
Fixed version : Upgrade to a version 11.89.14 (SA) and above
Path: /opt/sas/SASHome/SASPrivateJavaRuntimeEnvironment/9.4/installs/privatejre_lax_9.49_HFM3J013/SASHome/xx/backup.2026-07-23-10.56.54/
Installed version : 11.86.20 (SA)
Fixed version : Upgrade to a version 11.89.14 (SA) and above
CVE List:
CVE-2026-41254
CVE-2026-46917
CVE-2026-46968
CVE-2026-47010
CVE-2026-47013
CVE-2026-47021
CVE-2026-47027
CVE-2026-47030
CVE-2026-47034
CVE-2026-47035
CVE-2026-47057
CVE-2026-47058
CVE-2026-47059
CVE-2026-47063
CVE-2026-60147
CVE-2026-60164
CVE-2026-60165
CVE-2026-60166
When performing an update to the SAS Private JRE, a backup of the JRE files is necessary. This is because SAS® Deployment Manager requires the SAS Private JRE to operate, but it cannot modify the JRE files in their standard runtime location while they are in use. The backup JRE copy also serves as a method of reverting the JRE update if an error is encountered during the update process. Certain JRE and SAS platforms or versions might require files be manually copied from the backup JRE as a post-installation step during the SAS Private JRE update process.
When the backup is taken, the JRE binaries and related files are copied to a specific directory under the path <SASHome>/SASPrivateJavaRuntimeEnvironment/9.4/installs/. The directory name contains the following details, which might be helpful to confirm a specific JRE update process:
Before making any changes to the backup location for a JRE update, you should ensure that the JRE update process is fully completed and that all SAS services are able to operate as expected on the updated SAS Private JRE version. This includes performing any post-installation instructions that might be noted in the JRE Updates README files.
If you are unsure about the versions of the JRE in use, you can check them using the -version flag on the java binary.
For example:
a) Check runtime (standard-use) SAS Private JREversion: <SASHome>/SASPrivateJavaRuntimeEnvironment/9.4/jre/bin/java -version
b) Check a backed-up JRE version:
<SASHome>/SASPrivateJavaRuntimeEnvironment/9.4/installs/privatejre_lax_9.49_HFM3J013/SASHome/xx/backup.2026-07-23-10.56.54/bin/java -version
Once you have confirmed that the JRE update processes were fully completed and verified the expected/updated version of the runtime JRE is in use (therefore confirming the backed-up version is no longer needed), you can safely delete the backed-up version.
Note: These backup directories can be deleted while SAS is running.