XP SP2

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XP SP2: a Service Pack Too Late
Douglas Chick

Microsoft SP2 Microsoft operating systems certainly have taken a beaten when it comes to security. Can the software giant finally redeem itself with their long awaited SP2 for Windows XP, or will this be yet another security nightmare for the world’s already frustrated network administrators?

I want to give Microsoft the benefit of doubt, but I’ve removed too many root kits, and too many viruses from fully patched systems, behind firewalls, to believe that SP2 is nothing more than another over promised and under delivered failure. I know that these are harsh words but since software companies began adopting the “buy now fix later” policy to software sales, they deserve harsh criticism. I will credit Microsoft with taking the time and spending 300 million dollars on correcting the security problems within Windows XP. But then again, it would be quite difficult to expect people to purchase the next flavor of Windows when the ones before it remain a harbor for hacker’s and viruses.With respect to Microsoft I hope that XP SP2 is everything they say it is.

Flexbeta.net reviewed the new service pack and had both good and bad things to say about it. The review states that the new built in firewall “only blocks incoming traffic and not outgoing traffic and can be easily turned off by another application, possible a worm.” Although the new firewall passed the stealth test, (rejecting pings) it failed the port scan that most hackers and hacking viruses use to access open port numbers. Flexbeta also sited that the firewall did fairly well on the TCP SYN Scanning test but recommended that you disable this Windows built-in firewall and install a more powerful commercial one. My thoughts are if the user hasn’t already purchased a firewall than they are not likely to disable this and should probably go ahead and use it.

PC World reports:

"...rival firewall makers claim that the API used to manage the Windows Firewall could also be used by attackers to modify the software or turn it off. Major firewall makers, including Zone Labs, McAfee, and Symantec are preparing SP2-compatible versions of their applications which disable Windows Firewall when they are installed, and enable it again when they are uninstalled."

TheNetworkAdministrator.com
As a network administrator, I’ll just have to wait trembling with quiet anticipation until I can test it for myself. As a consumer with XP on my personal computer...well I don’t really have it on my personal computer.

Disclaimer: The Opinions shared on TheNetworkAdministrator.com are contributed by its readers and does not necessarily express the opinion of the creators of this publication.