FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.5.0"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0-b64)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.5.0-b64, mixed mode, sharing)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
When logged into windows as the user 'Guest' an ExceptionInInitializer exception is thrown when creating a URL object with the 'https' protocol.

This seems to be caused by the native method generateSeed in com.sun.deploy.security.WSeedGenerator returning null.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Run the applet.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
A valid URL object.
ACTUAL -
An exception is thrown.

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError
        at java.lang.Class.forName0(Native Method)
        at java.lang.Class.forName(Unknown Source)
        at java.net.URL.getURLStreamHandler(Unknown Source)
        at java.net.URL.<init>(Unknown Source)
        at java.net.URL.<init>(Unknown Source)
        at java.net.URL.<init>(Unknown Source)
        at HTTPSTest.init(HTTPSTest.java:87)
        at sun.applet.AppletPanel.run(Unknown Source)
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
        at java.security.SecureRandom.nextBytes(Unknown Source)
        at java.security.SecureRandom.next(Unknown Source)
        at java.util.Random.nextInt(Unknown Source)
        at com.sun.deploy.net.protocol.https.Handler$1.run(Unknown Source)
        at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
        at com.sun.deploy.net.protocol.https.Handler.<clinit>(Unknown Source)
        ... 9 more

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
import java.applet.Applet;
import java.net.URL;
import java.net.MalformedURLException;
public class HTTPSTest extends Applet
{

  public void init()
  {
    try
    {
      URL url = new URL("https://www.verisign.com/");
    }
    catch (MalformedURLException itsNot)
    {
    }
  }

}
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
I don't think there's a workaround unless the applet is signed.

If it's signed you can force it to use Sun's implementation of the https handler either by adding the line:

System.setProperty("java.protocol.handler.pkgs", "sun.net.www.protocol");

before creating the URL object or by passing the handler to the constructor:

URL url = new URL("https", "www.verisign.com", -1, "", new sun.net.www.protocol.https.Handler());
###@###.### 2005-2-09 12:15:20 GMT