Applet no longer able to connect to originating host in 1.6.0_03 with Firefox

FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
Java Plug-in 1.6.0_03

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
Firefox 2.0.0.7

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
Applet is no longer able to communicate with originating server through socket for the recently released update of 1.6.0.

This happens only with Firefox, not with Internet Explorer. It used to work in 1.6.0_02 but doesn't in 1.6.0_03.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Load any applets from http://www.bestcrosswords.com and look at the java console output. You'll see that an AccessControlException is generated:

java.security.AccessControlException: access denied (java.net.SocketPermission 72.232.203.226:80 connect,resolve)



EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
The applet should be able to load.
ACTUAL -
The applet generates an error.

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
[error] Error
java.lang.Exception: Error fetching application state
at com.bestcrosswords.applet.bootstrapper.BootstrapperApplet.buildBootstrappedApplication(BootstrapperApplet.java:260)
at com.bestcrosswords.applet.bootstrapper.BootstrapperApplet.initializedGUI(BootstrapperApplet.java:77)
at com.bestcrosswords.applet.bootstrapper.BootstrapperApplet.access$000(BootstrapperApplet.java:24)
at com.bestcrosswords.applet.bootstrapper.BootstrapperApplet$1.run(BootstrapperApplet.java:63)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
Caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: Failure to connect after '10' tries
at com.pyromod.crossword.comm.Client2.getHttpUrlWithRetries(Client2.java:76)
at com.pyromod.crossword.comm.Client2.invoke(Client2.java:45)
at com.bestcrosswords.applet.RemoteServerInvoker2.doInvoke(RemoteServerInvoker2.java:23)
at com.bestcrosswords.applet.BaseServerInvoker2.invoke(BaseServerInvoker2.java:21)
at com.bestcrosswords.applet.service.ServiceInvocationHandler.invoke(ServiceInvocationHandler.java:28)
at $Proxy11.retrieveApplicationState(Unknown Source)
at com.bestcrosswords.applet.bootstrapper.BootstrapperApplet.fetchApplicationState(BootstrapperApplet.java:269)
at com.bestcrosswords.applet.bootstrapper.BootstrapperApplet.buildBootstrappedApplication(BootstrapperApplet.java:258)
... 4 more
Caused by: com.pyromod.crossword.comm.CommUtils$ConnectionRefused: Error establishing connection to 'http://www.bestcrosswords.com/bestcrosswords/app?service=appletinvoke2&sp=Spage%3Aguestconstructor%2FGuestConstructorPuzzle&sp=Scom.bestcrosswords.applet.guestconstructor.GuestConstructorPuzzleApplication'
at com.pyromod.crossword.comm.CommUtils.establishConnection(CommUtils.java:131)
at com.pyromod.crossword.comm.CommUtils.getHttpUrl(CommUtils.java:197)
at com.pyromod.crossword.comm.CommUtils.getHttpUrl(CommUtils.java:236)
at com.pyromod.crossword.comm.Client2.getHttpUrlWithRetries(Client2.java:74)
... 11 more
Caused by: java.security.AccessControlException: access denied (java.net.SocketPermission 72.232.203.226:80 connect,resolve)
at java.security.AccessControlContext.checkPermission(Unknown Source)
at java.security.AccessController.checkPermission(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.SecurityManager.checkPermission(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.SecurityManager.checkConnect(Unknown Source)
at java.net.Socket.connect(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.NetworkClient.doConnect(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.openServer(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.openServer(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.<init>(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.New(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.New(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.getNewHttpClient(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.plainConnect(Unknown Source)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.connect(Unknown Source)
at com.pyromod.crossword.comm.CommUtils.establishConnection(CommUtils.java:129)
... 14 more


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

Release Regression From : 6u2
The above release value was the last known release where this
bug was not reproducible. Since then there has been a regression.