Hello Nick, The ij code is in derbytools.jar, I believe. Did you define a security policy that covers derbytools.jar?
In particular, to allow calling System.getProperties, try something like: grant codeBase "${derbyTesting.codejar}derbytools.jar" { // Access all properties using System.getProperties - // ij enumerates the properties in order to open connections // for any property set in ij.connection.* and set protocols // for any property in ij.protocol.* permission java.util.PropertyPermission "*", "read, write"; // Read all files under ${user.dir} permission java.io.FilePermission "${user.dir}${/}-", "read"; // IjTestCases read, write, and delete ij's output in the extinout dir permission java.io.FilePermission "${user.dir}${/}extinout${/}-", "read, write, delete"; // ij needs permission to read the sql files in this jar permission java.io.FilePermission "${derbyTesting.testjarpath}", "read"; }; thanks, bryan