Appendix A: Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2


Overview

As part of a major effort to increase the security of desktop computers, in summer 2004, Microsoft is releasing an update to Windows XP named Windows XP Service Pack 2. As with all Windows service packs, Windows XP Service Pack 2 includes all of the critical updates released for Windows XP to date. In addition, Service Pack 2 includes a large number of new enhancements to Windows XP—enhancements aimed at increasing the default level of security for the operating system.

Although there is not room in a single appendix to detail all the enhancements provided in Windows XP Service Pack 2, there are many that will prove important to you as a desktop support technician (DST). This chapter covers security enhancements in the following areas:

  • Automatic Updates As you know, an important part of keeping Windows XP secure is keeping it up to date with the latest software updates released by Microsoft. You must also make sure that you understand what updates are available and how they affect a system. Windows XP Service Pack 2 provides a number of enhancements to the Automatic Updates feature in Windows XP, including the ability to download more categories of updates, better bandwidth management, and consolidation of updates so that less user input is required.

  • Windows Firewall In the original release of Windows XP, the software-based firewall included with the operating system was named Internet Connection Firewall. With the release of Windows XP Service Pack 2, ICF has been renamed Windows Firewall and a number of features have been added. The updates include enabling Windows Firewall by default on all network connections, closing ports except when they are in use, improving the user interface, improving application compatibility when Windows Firewall is on, and providing a way to configure global settings for all network connections.

  • Internet Explorer Security enhancements to Microsoft Internet Explorer provide improved protection against malicious content on the Web and also provide interface enhancements that make configuring security easier. A new Information Bar consolidates many of the dialog boxes Internet Explorer uses to provide information to users. For the first time in its history, Internet Explorer now includes a built-in pop-up window blocker. Also, several new settings have been added to the Security Zones available in Internet Explorer.

  • Outlook Express Service Pack 2 also provides security enhancements for Outlook Express users. You can block external content from being automatically downloaded and displayed in HTML-formatted messages, and even configure Outlook Express to only display messages in plaintext format. As a result, potentially unsafe attachments that are sent through e-mail and instant messages are isolated so that they cannot affect other parts of the system.

  • Security Center Security Center is an entirely new feature that provides a central interface for determining the status of security configurations of your computer. The Security Center window lets you view settings for Automatic Updates, Windows Firewall, and some third-party antivirus software. Security Center also runs as a background service and provides real-time alerts when certain security conditions are detected.

With the enhanced security technologies that are provided by Windows XP Service Pack 2, you and the users that you support will experience a more secure desktop environment than ever before.

Also, when you study for the exam, make sure that you are familiar with the changes that are covered in this appendix. Sometime shortly after Windows XP Service Pack 2 is released, the exam will also be updated. Therefore, you may encounter questions that are based on the changes in Windows XP Service Pack 2.

See Also

This chapter covers the aspects of Windows XP Service Pack 2 that are most important to you as a DST. This includes updates of many of the procedures found in this book, as well as new procedures for helping you support users. For detailed information on all features included with Service Pack 2, visit http://www.microsoft.com/technet and search using the key words “changes to functionality in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2.”




McDst Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-272(c) Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on a[... ]ystem)
McDst Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-272(c) Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on a[... ]ystem)
ISBN: N/A
EAN: N/A
Year: 2006
Pages: 237

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