FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.8.0_40"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_40-b25)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 25.40-b25, mixed mode, sharing)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Window 7, and Windows XP

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
Also occurs with jre7.

Starting a java application with, say:

java.exe -cp someclasspath ClassName '.\*\*\*'

results in the relevant main() method being invoked with an argument of:

\*\\*\\\*

each subsequent *\ getting an additional backslash added.




REGRESSION.  Last worked in version 6u45

ADDITIONAL REGRESSION INFORMATION: 
The bug DOES NOT occur on this platform:

java version "1.6.0_17"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_17-b04)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 14.3-b01, mixed mode, sharing)

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Define the class given below

compile it and run it with:

javac -cp . Star '\*\*\*\*\*'

and observe the outputs.

You can experiment with various quotes and, as near as I can tell, the results are always wrong. It seems to be very specific to the *\ combination, as well.

Try out '.\*\*\foo\*\*\*\bar' for instance. It gets interesting.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
I expect it to print out

\*\*\*\*\*'
ACTUAL -
But instead it prints out

\*\\*\\\*\\\\*\\\\\*'

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
No errors are reported

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
public class Star {
	public static void main(String[] args) {
		for(int i = 0; i < args.length; i++) {
			String a = args[i];
			System.out.println(a);
		}
	}
}
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
I have not found anything.