Service Pack 2 (SP2) was released on August 25, 2004,[58] SP2 added new functionality to Windows XP, such as WPA encryption compatibility and improved Wi-Fi support (with a wizard utility), a pop-up ad blocker for Internet Explorer 6, and partial Bluetooth support.
Service Pack 2 also added new security enhancements (codenamed "Springboard"),[59] which included a major revision to the included firewall (renamed Windows Firewall, and now enabled by default), Data Execution Prevention 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 machines) and the Windows Messenger service became disabled by default, which was an attack vector for pop-up advertisements to be displayed as system messages without a web browser or any additional software. Additionally, security-related improvements were made to e-mail and web browsing. Service Pack 2 also added Security Center, an interface which 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.[60]
In August 2006, Microsoft released updated installation media for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 SP2 (SP2b) to contain a patch that requires ActiveX controls to require manual activation in accordance with a patent held by Eolas.[61][62] Microsoft has since licensed the patent, and released a patch reverting the change in April 2008.[63] In September 2007, another minor revision known as SP2c was released for XP Professional, extending the number of available product keys 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.
Download - XP SP 2 (800KB)
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