Windows XP Service Pack 3 Full Preview

Topics: Operating System
Tags: Microsoft, OS, SP3, Windows, XP
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New and Enhanced Functionality

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Numerous additions to SP3 have already been available as downloads. These include support for WPA2, Microsoft Management Console version 3.0 (MMC), Windows Installer version 3.1, and etc. These inclusions are in addition to the huge array of hotfixes that Microsoft has made available via Windows Update over the years.

Functionality	Description
"Black Hole" Router Detection	Windows XP SP3 includes improvements to black hole router detection (detecting routers that are silently discarding packets), turning it on by default. This feature allowing XP to reconfigure the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) to keep connections alive without the performance compromise the detection formerly caused. In earlier versions of XP, the facility was both less capable and, to minimize processor load, turned off by default.
Network Access Protection (NAP)	NAP is a policy enforcement platform built into Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and Windows XP SP3 with which you can better protect network assets by enforcing compliance with system health requirements. Using NAP, you can create customized health policies to validate computer health before allowing access or communication; automatically update compliant computers to ensure ongoing compliance; and optionally confine noncompliant computers to a restricted network until they become compliant.
Descriptive Security Options User Interface	The Security Options control panel in Windows XP SP3 now has more descriptive text to explain settings and prevent incorrect settings configuration.
Enhanced security for Administrator and Service policy entries	In System Center Essentials for Windows XP SP3, Administrator and Service entries will be present by default on any new instance of policy. Additionally, the user interface for the Impersonate Client After Authentication user right will not be able to remove these settings.
Microsoft Kernel Mode Cryptographic Module	Microsoft Kernel Mode Cryptographic Module (Fips.sys) is a FIPS 140-1 Level 1-compliant, general purpose, software-based, cryptographic module in the kernel mode level of the Windows operating system. It runs as a kernel mode export driver (a kernel-mode DLL) and encapsulates several different cryptographic algorithms in an easy-to-use cryptographic module accessible by other kernel mode drivers. It can be linked to other kernel mode services to permit the use of FIPS 140-1 Level 1-compliant cryptography. Developers can access this Kernel Mode Cryptographic Module, making use of the cryptographic algorithms to improve the security of their own drivers.
Windows Product Activation	As in Windows Server 2003 SP2 and Windows Vista, users can now complete operating system installation without providing a product key during a full, integrated installation of Windows XP SP3. The operating system will prompt the user for a product key later as part of Genuine Advantage. As with previous service packs, no product key is requested or required when installing Windows XP SP3 using the update package available through Microsoft Update.
Wi-Fi Protected Access version 2 (WPA2)	The most recent wireless-networking security upgrade.
Digital Identity Management Service (DIMS)	Validates security certificates and private keys when a user logs on to a server running Windows 2003 SP1 or later.