Usage of Java Agents with Scope
Riege Software does not support the use of Java agents with Scope. Read below for background information and changes in the Scope Runtime.
Recent changes in Scope Runtime introduce technical restrictions that prevent the use of Java agents in order to protect application integrity, security, and stability.
As a result, certain automation approaches that rely on Java Agents or the Java Attach API will no longer work in current and future versions of the Scope Runtime.
Java agents enable deep access to a running Java application, including the ability to modify bytecode at runtime. While some third-party tools have used this mechanism to interact with Scope, this approach has never been supported by Riege Software.
Such techniques pose significant risks:
- Modification of application behavior at runtime
- Security and integrity concerns
- Increased instability and maintenance effort
- Dependence on undocumented/internal mechanisms
In addition, the Java platform itself is moving toward restricting such capabilities by default.
To enforce application integrity, Scope Runtime now actively restricts the use of Java agents:
Scope Runtime 17.17.1
- Temporary compatibility release
- Provides a limited grace period for you to transition
Scope Runtime 17.18 (expected September 2026)
- Java agent functionality will be permanently disabled
- No re-enablement planned
Future Outlook
- Scope will adopt newer Java versions (e.g., Java 21+), where such mechanisms are increasingly restricted
- Remaining on older runtime versions is not supported and not a viable long-term strategy