FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.6.0_10-rc"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_10-rc-b28)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 11.0-b15, mixed mode, sharing)

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

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
Starting the application with JDK6u10 build 27 worked perfectly. After upgrading to build 28 I get always following exception when I try to start the same application:
java.lang.NullPointerException
	at com.sun.javaws.security.SigningInfo.verifyAllSignedEntriesPresent(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.security.SigningInfo.checkSigning(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.LaunchDownload.checkSignedResourcesHelper(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.LaunchDownload.checkSignedResources(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareLaunchFile(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareToLaunch(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.launch(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Main.launchApp(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Main.continueInSecureThread(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Main$1.run(Unknown Source)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

The application is packaged with pack200. The size of the JAR file ist about 16M.


EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
The application starts.
ACTUAL -
The application does not start.

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
java.lang.NullPointerException
	at com.sun.javaws.security.SigningInfo.verifyAllSignedEntriesPresent(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.security.SigningInfo.checkSigning(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.LaunchDownload.checkSignedResourcesHelper(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.LaunchDownload.checkSignedResources(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareLaunchFile(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareToLaunch(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.launch(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Main.launchApp(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Main.continueInSecureThread(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Main$1.run(Unknown Source)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

Release Regression From : 6u10
The above release value was the last known release where this 
bug was not reproducible. Since then there has been a regression.