XP Service Pack Needs Significant Testing

By applying its Trustworthy Computing framework to Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), Microsoft intends to bring Windows XP up to the level of security of Windows Server 2003. Like previous Windows service packs, SP2 provides an integration-tested set of updates and patches and establishes a new baseline for Windows XP systems. However, SP2 also makes major changes that will force organizations to test it as if it were a new Windows release.

Security Main Focus

Windows XP SP2 represents a significant change because Microsoft is not only releasing a collection of tested patches but is also making system and configuration changes to Windows XP systems to improve their overall security.

Substantial security-related changes are necessary because Windows XP shipped before Microsoft conducted its review of the Windows code driven by the Trustworthy Computing initiative. This review has significantly improved the overall security and reliability of Windows Server 2003, which was the first version of Windows to ship after the review. The principles of Trustworthy Computing and the resultant changes to Windows made during that review have now found their way into XP SP2, as follows: