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Windows XP SP2 Security Features
~~Mike Baynes, MikesWhatsNews

This service pack (SP) contains the latest cumulative updates for Windows XP Home & Professional, and includes the updates that were contained in Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows XP.

New Security Features in XPSP2 include a new firewall which is enabled by default. This means that it will be running when you install the service pack.

The new firewall will be started to protect your system before the network is enabled so your computer is protected during the boot process while the rest of the programs load. It will also be running during Windows shutdown to protect your system from intrusion.

This is a real firewall preventing both incoming and outgoing traffic, with
configurable port blocking. It is easily configured from the Control Panel.  The 2 new Control Panel icons are the Security Center and the Windows Firewall.

IE also has increased security and PopUp Blocking capabilities added.

When you go to a site with ActiveX, a small yellow panel, the Information Bar, opens to warn you to prevent malicious applications.

To learn more about XPSP2, see the review on the SuperSite for Windows.
http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/windowsxp_sp2.asp

See Mike's Anti-Virus pages ~ http://virusinfo.hackfix.org.  To subscribe, send a blank email to: virusinfo-request@freelists.org?Subject=subscribe