Windows XP Security Guide v2.2 Release Notes
April 13, 2006
© 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Contents
Windows XP Security Guide Download
Version 2.2 corrects an error in the Optional-File-Permissions.inf in the tools and templates which accompany this guide. Some links have been updated and some minor typographical errors have been corrected.
Version 2.1 was a significant update to the Windows XP Security Guide which
introduced the most secure scenario of Specialized Security - Limited
functionality (SSLF).
Microsoft has been working closely with a number of government and
non-government agencies to reduce discrepancies between recommendations that
appear in guidance published by each organization. The collaborative effort
includes the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Department of
Homeland Security, the Defense Information Systems Agency, the National Security
Agency, and the Center for Internet Security. The impact of this shared work
includes numerous changes to the security recommendations in this version of the
Windows XP Security Guide by Microsoft.
The single most important change is that every organization has agreed to refer to the most secure scenario as Specialized Security – Limited Functionality. This scenario was formerly referred to as High Security, but Microsoft learned from customer feedback that many readers of Windows XP Security Guide misunderstood the goals of that scenario and applied the recommendations to systems that would have been better served by the recommendations in the Enterprise Client (EC) scenario. The SSLF scenario will result in reduced performance, reduced manageability, reduced usability, and reduced compatibility with applications. The point made in Chapter 1 of the guide is worth repeating here: the SSLF scenario is intended for computers whose compromise could cause significant financial loss or loss of life. The recommendations in the EC scenario are the best settings for most computers that run Windows XP today.
Most of the changes apply to the SSLF scenario. Microsoft has adjusted many settings to more closely align with the recommendations of the agencies referenced earlier. The remaining changes appear in the EC scenario, and they also strive for closer alignment with the other agencies.
Corrections Made to the Windows XP Security Guide in this version
Version 2.0 included a new appendix which discussed the changes to security guidance based on the release of Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2).
Version 1.5 corrected some formatting and minor grammar issues. Several settings described in the guide and in the tools and templates were changed.
Version 1.0 of the Windows XP Security Guide. This was the first version of this guide, released on Thursday, April 24th, 2003.
Unresolved Issues and Resolutions
Software Restriction Policy (SRP) for Windows XP is described in Chapter 6. The TechNet article Using Software Restriction Policies to Protect Against Unauthorized Software provides further detailed information and is available at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/rstrplcy.mspx.
Copyright and license agreement
© 2006 Microsoft Corporation. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 543 Howard Street, 5th Floor, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.