--- a/src/java.net.http/share/classes/jdk/internal/net/http/common/Utils.java	Fri Mar 09 16:47:00 2018 +0000
+++ b/src/java.net.http/share/classes/jdk/internal/net/http/common/Utils.java	Fri Mar 09 16:52:31 2018 +0000
@@ -90,7 +90,14 @@
     public static final boolean TESTING = DEBUG;
 
     public static final boolean isHostnameVerificationDisabled = // enabled by default
-        getBooleanProperty("jdk.internal.http.disableHostnameVerification", false);
+            hostnameVerificationDisabledValue();
+
+    private static boolean hostnameVerificationDisabledValue() {
+        String prop = getProperty("jdk.internal.http.disableHostnameVerification");
+        if (prop == null)
+            return false;
+        return prop.isEmpty() ?  true : Boolean.parseBoolean(prop);
+    }
 
     /**
      * Allocated buffer size. Must never be higher than 16K. But can be lower
@@ -383,6 +390,11 @@
                 Boolean.parseBoolean(System.getProperty(name, String.valueOf(def))));
     }
 
+    public static String getProperty(String name) {
+        return AccessController.doPrivileged((PrivilegedAction<String>) () ->
+                System.getProperty(name));
+    }
+
     public static SSLParameters copySSLParameters(SSLParameters p) {
         SSLParameters p1 = new SSLParameters();
         p1.setAlgorithmConstraints(p.getAlgorithmConstraints());