- Sep 25, 2000
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Microsoft focused on security improvements at the expense of backward compatibility
MARCH 05, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - When Microsoft Corp. releases Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP later this year, some software developers may find that their applications no longer work on updated Windows machines.
Microsoft has made something of a trade-off with the update, focusing on security improvements at the expense of backward compatibility. The software vendor is calling on all software developers to test their code against the beta version of SP2 or face the possibility that the update will break their handiwork.
Windows XP SP2 is more than the usual roll-up of bug fixes and updates. It's also being used to make significant changes to the software that are designed to improve security. These changes can render applications inoperable, Microsoft said.
"It may surprise some of the developers that we are changing some defaults, and that may affect the way some of the older applications run," said Tony Goodhew, a product manager in Microsoft's developer group. "Developers should absolutely be checking their applications against Windows XP SP2."
Changes to Windows XP made by SP2 fall into four main areas: network protection, memory protection, e-mail security and browsing security. The most affected parts of Windows are RPCs (Remote Procedure Calls), DCOM (Distributed Component Object Model), Windows Firewall and memory execution protection, according to Microsoft.
Many of the changes can disrupt functions of Windows and other applications, said Thor Larholm, a senior security researcher at PivX Solutions LLC in Newport Beach, Calif. "By design, many of the new security improvements will break functions for a wide range of applications," he said.
SP2 went into beta testing last year, and Microsoft plans to release the update in mid-2004. Compatibility issues shouldn't hold back its release, Goodhew said. "We're aiming to release SP2 midyear. As far as we stand, we're still on track to do that," he said.
MARCH 05, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - When Microsoft Corp. releases Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP later this year, some software developers may find that their applications no longer work on updated Windows machines.
Microsoft has made something of a trade-off with the update, focusing on security improvements at the expense of backward compatibility. The software vendor is calling on all software developers to test their code against the beta version of SP2 or face the possibility that the update will break their handiwork.
Windows XP SP2 is more than the usual roll-up of bug fixes and updates. It's also being used to make significant changes to the software that are designed to improve security. These changes can render applications inoperable, Microsoft said.
"It may surprise some of the developers that we are changing some defaults, and that may affect the way some of the older applications run," said Tony Goodhew, a product manager in Microsoft's developer group. "Developers should absolutely be checking their applications against Windows XP SP2."
Changes to Windows XP made by SP2 fall into four main areas: network protection, memory protection, e-mail security and browsing security. The most affected parts of Windows are RPCs (Remote Procedure Calls), DCOM (Distributed Component Object Model), Windows Firewall and memory execution protection, according to Microsoft.
Many of the changes can disrupt functions of Windows and other applications, said Thor Larholm, a senior security researcher at PivX Solutions LLC in Newport Beach, Calif. "By design, many of the new security improvements will break functions for a wide range of applications," he said.
SP2 went into beta testing last year, and Microsoft plans to release the update in mid-2004. Compatibility issues shouldn't hold back its release, Goodhew said. "We're aiming to release SP2 midyear. As far as we stand, we're still on track to do that," he said.
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