FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.8.0_112"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_112-b15)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.112-b15, mixed mode)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Windows 7 Professional Service Pack 1 64 bit

EXTRA RELEVANT SYSTEM CONFIGURATION :
java.lang.NullPointerException
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.plainConnect0(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection$6.run(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection$6.run(Unknown Source)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivilegedWithCombiner(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.plainConnect(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.connect(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.getInputStream0(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.access$200(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection$9.run(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection$9.run(Unknown Source)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivilegedWithCombiner(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.getInputStream(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.deploy.net.HttpUtils.followRedirects(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.deploy.net.BasicHttpRequest.doRequest(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.deploy.net.BasicHttpRequest.doGetRequestEX(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.checkUpdateAvailable(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.isUpdateAvailable(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.getResource(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.getResource(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.updateFinalLaunchDesc(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareToLaunch(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareToLaunch(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.launch(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Main.launchApp(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Main.continueInSecureThread(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Main.access$000(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Main$1.run(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)


A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
The JNLP file which works perfectly fine if I use java webstart from Java 6 u 45 stoped working when I downloaded java 8 u 112.

The exception I get is
java.lang.NullPointerException
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.plainConnect0(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection$6.run(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection$6.run(Unknown Source)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivilegedWithCombiner(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.plainConnect(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.connect(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.getInputStream0(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.access$200(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection$9.run(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection$9.run(Unknown Source)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivilegedWithCombiner(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.getInputStream(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.deploy.net.HttpUtils.followRedirects(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.deploy.net.BasicHttpRequest.doRequest(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.deploy.net.BasicHttpRequest.doGetRequestEX(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.checkUpdateAvailable(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.isUpdateAvailable(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.getResource(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.getResource(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.updateFinalLaunchDesc(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareToLaunch(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareToLaunch(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.launch(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Main.launchApp(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Main.continueInSecureThread(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Main.access$000(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Main$1.run(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

I have tried to find the root of the problem and one cause seems to point to https://bugs.openjdk.java.net/browse/JDK-8146336 where the PAC file parser is not working as expected. My JNLP address is http://servername.abc.mycompany.com/someFolder/myJnlp.jnlp (I have changed the names because of privacy issues but the format is exactly the same).

REGRESSION. Last worked in version 6u45

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Just click on the jnlp and I get this exception all the time. Only way to fix this is to use 'Direct Connection' in 'Network Settings', but this is not a option for us.


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.