Using JDK + JRE 8u172 x64 on Windows 7 SP1 x64.
From one week to the other (possibly after latest MS Windows updates?), several Java applications (TV-Browser, MediathekView, BilderHerunterlader) are unable to connect via internet, to download their specific update information or data processed by these applications (e.g. current TV schedules and German public TV MediaThek programme lists).
BilderHerunterlader reports the technical message "Permission denied: connect" when checking for updates.
Every other native Win32/Win64 application, not based on Java, is able to connect and download from the internet (e.g. web browsers, email clients, online games, download managers in broad sense).
I assumed that uninstalling and re-installing JDK 8u172 may fix something, but it did not.
I checked my Personal Firewall (Windows 7 original), it contained several entries to outdated Java versions. I removed them all and assumed that the JDK installer would possibly restore Firewall exceptions if any are required. It did not create any.
So I created a manual exception, allowing all kinds of connections to jre1.8.0_172\bin\javaw.exe - but it did not help either.
How shall I continue troubleshooting?