Editing Windows XP (section)

===Service Pack 2===
[[File:Windows Security Center XP SP2.png|thumb|right|[[Windows Security Center]] window running Windows XP Service Pack 2, showing no virus protection installed]]

Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP Home edition and Professional edition was released on August 25, 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389|access-date=September 21, 2007|title=How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041014021822/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389 |archive-date=October 14, 2004 |date=March 26, 2007|author=<!--N/A-->}}</ref> Headline features included [[Wi-Fi Protected Access|WPA]] encryption compatibility for Wi-Fi and usability improvements to the Wi-Fi networking user interface,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shinder |first1=Deb |title=Windows XP Service Pack 2: How it affects wireless networking |url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/windows-xp-service-pack-2-how-it-affects-wireless-networking/ |website=TechRepublic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=June 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613224317/https://www.techrepublic.com/article/windows-xp-service-pack-2-how-it-affects-wireless-networking/ |archive-date=June 13, 2017 |date=August 26, 2004 |url-status=dead }}</ref> partial [[Bluetooth stack#Microsoft Windows stack|Bluetooth]] support,<ref name="WinBT 2010 FAQ">{{cite web|url=https://download.microsoft.com/download/9/c/5/9c5b2167-8017-4bae-9fde-d599bac8184a/Bth_FAQ.docx|title=Bluetooth Wireless Technology FAQ – 2010|date=July 24, 2012|access-date=November 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303211522/http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/c/5/9c5b2167-8017-4bae-9fde-d599bac8184a/Bth_FAQ.docx|archive-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=live|author=<!--N/A-->}}</ref> and various improvements to security systems.

Headed by former computer hacker [[Window Snyder]],<ref>{{cite book |title=Cult of the Dead Cow: How the Original Hacking Supergroup Might Just Save the World |first=Joseph |last=Menn |publisher=Public Affairs |location=New York |date=2019 |page=49{{ndash}}50 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Grimes|first=Roger A.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/983465946|title=Hacking the hacker: learn from the experts who take down hackers|publisher=Wiley|year=2017|isbn=978-1-119-39626-0|location=Indianapolis, IN|chapter=46 - Profile: Window Snyder|oclc=983465946|access-date=October 20, 2022|archive-date=June 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630230530/https://www.worldcat.org/title/hacking-the-hacker-learn-from-the-experts-who-take-down-hackers/oclc/983465946|url-status=live}}</ref> the service pack's security improvements (codenamed "Springboard",<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.itprotoday.com/windows-8/windows-xp-sp2-be-springboard-longhorn|title=Windows XP SP2 to be 'Springboard' to Longhorn|journal=Windows IT Pro|first1=Paul |last1=Thurrott|date=October 15, 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623230427/http://www.itprotoday.com/windows-8/windows-xp-sp2-be-springboard-longhorn|archive-date=June 23, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> as these features were intended to underpin additional changes in [[Windows Longhorn|Longhorn]]) included a major revision to the included firewall (renamed Windows Firewall, and now enabled by default), and an update to [[Data Execution Prevention]], which gained hardware support in the [[NX bit]] that can stop some forms of [[buffer overflow]] attacks. [[Raw socket]] support is removed (which supposedly limits the damage done by [[zombie (computing)|zombie machines]]) and the [[Windows Messenger service]] (which had been abused to cause pop-up advertisements to be displayed as system messages without a web browser or any additional software) became disabled by default. Additionally, security-related improvements were made to e-mail and web browsing. Service Pack 2 also added [[Security Center]], an interface that provides a general overview of the system's security status, including the state of the firewall and automatic updates. Third-party firewall and [[antivirus software]] can also be monitored from Security Center.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/overview.mspx|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|title=Windows XP Service Pack 2 information|date=August 4, 2004|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016045833/http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/overview.mspx|archive-date=October 16, 2007|author=<!--N/A-->}}</ref>

In August 2006, Microsoft released updated installation media for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 SP2 (SP2b), in order to incorporate a patch requiring [[ActiveX]] controls in Internet Explorer to be manually activated before a user may interact with them. This was done so that the browser would not violate a patent owned by [[Eolas]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blogs.technet.com/backroom/archive/2006/08/21/448330.aspx|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|title=Why Windows XP SP2b and Windows Server 2003 SP2a?|date=August 21, 2006|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090812134958/http://blogs.technet.com/backroom/archive/2006/08/21/448330.aspx|archive-date=August 12, 2009|first1=Victor|last1=Mux}}</ref> Microsoft has since licensed the patent, and released a patch reverting the change in April 2008.<ref name="msdnblog">{{cite web |title=IE Automatic Component Activation Now Available |work=IEBlog |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=April 8, 2008 |url=https://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2008/04/08/ie-automatic-component-activation-now-available.aspx |access-date=April 11, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411232949/http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2008/04/08/ie-automatic-component-activation-now-available.aspx |archive-date=April 11, 2008 |first1=Jefferson|last1=Fletcher}}</ref> In September 2007, another minor revision known as SP2c was released for XP Professional, extending the number of available [[product key]]s for the operating system to "support the continued availability of Windows XP Professional through the scheduled system builder channel end-of-life (EOL) date of January 31, 2009."<ref name=msdn-sp2c>{{cite web|title=Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2c Release|url=https://blogs.technet.com/b/backroom/archive/2007/08/09/microsoft-windows-xp-professional-service-pack-2c-release.aspx|work=MSDN|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|access-date=January 26, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202094121/http://blogs.technet.com/b/backroom/archive/2007/08/09/microsoft-windows-xp-professional-service-pack-2c-release.aspx|archive-date=February 2, 2014|date=August 9, 2007|first1=Victor|last1=Mux}}</ref>

Windows XP Service Pack 2 was later included in [[Windows Embedded for Point of Service]] and [[Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs]].