Hype Surrounds XP Service Pack 2
Posted on September 3, 2004
Filed Under Software, Windows |
Microsoft has long gotten a bad rap for releasing insecure products. The open source community has long touted Linux as a hardened operating system for the most part free of the security concerns that have plagued Microsoft Windows.
There are of course zealots on either side of the issue and both sides have valid arguments. Linux has become a mature operating system and is in many ways more secure than Windows. It can also be argued that because Microsoft Windows is the predominant operating system world wide, it only makes sense that it is more a target for exploitation than other operating systems.
Service pack 2 does indeed break some programs. Microsoft’s own Customer Relationship Management program has issues with service pack 2 and Microsoft is advising its CRM customers to hold off on installing the service pack until a fix is available. Microsoft has even gone so far as to release a program that prevents service pack 2 from being installed automatically via Windows Update.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. While some programs have stopped working after a service pack 2 installation the majority of mainstream software works just fine with it. Microsoft has been trying for years to better secure Windows and has this time gone a long way toward truly locking it down.
The Internet Storm Center reported on a study it had completed in August demonstrating the importance of keeping Windows PCs patched. The study showed that an unpatched Windows PC connected to the Internet without a firewall will last for about 20 minutes on average before it’s compromised by malware (malicious software).
Simply having a working firewall between you and the Internet drastically increases the time it will take for your computer to become compromised. The Service Pack 2 firewall is enabled by default and the package also contains all the updates available as of its release.
Service pack 2 helps prevent Internet Explorer popup windows, provides better information concerning potentially dangerous downloads, tightens security in Outlook Express, installs a greatly improved firewall, and improves support for wireless networks. And that’s only a few of the features.
For the typical home or small business user running mainstream software, XP Service Pack 2 is a major security enhancement. Providing there is no custom or unusual software on the system, this upgrade will be beneficial and will help prevent the spread of malware.
It is always advisable of course to deploy any upgrade in a test environment before installing it on a critical system. If there is any concern about software compatibility, check with the software vendor before installing Service Pack 2.
Try to read beyond the hype and don’t disregard Service Pack 2 just because of some poor reviews. The product is worthwhile and is a positive step forward.
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