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If you have not yet made the switch to Windows Vista and are still running XP, Microsoft has Service Pack 3 (SP3) waiting for you just around the corner. After three years since the release of Service Pack 2 (SP2), Microsoft plans on unleashing its delayed SP3 to the public. PC manufacturers and volume license customers will be given access to SP3 on April 21, while the rest of the public will be able to download the new update on on April 29, via Windows Update and Microsoft’s website. By June 10, the company intends to force the update on all XP users through Windows’ Automatic Update. Feature wise, SP3 adds only minor improvements, mostly improving security and network related capabilities. Nothing major.

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.

Windows Product Activation (key-less). 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.

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.

“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.

Windows XP Service Pack 3 is applicable to Windows XP Home Edition, Professional Edition, Tablet PC Edition (any version), and Media Center Edition (any version). SP3 contains all previous updates from past Service Packs; however, Microsoft is requiring that Service Pack 1 (SP1) be installed first at the very least.

Read [Microsoft]  Read [CNET]