MS launches security update for Windows Server 2003

NEW DELHI: Microsoft has released a major security update for Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 Service Pack (SP) 1. According to the company, SP 1 is designed to effectively reduce the attack surface of Windows Server 2003, protect system services with stronger default settings and reduce server privileges. It includes the latest Microsoft Windows XP SP 2 enhancements, adding new features that augment security, as well as increase reliability and performance.






One of these new technologies incorporated in SP1 is the Security Configuration Wizard, which reduces the attack surface by querying users about the role their servers fill, and then stopping all services and blocking ports that are not needed. Another new technology, Post-Setup Security Updates (PSSU), protects servers when they are most vulnerable -- the time between their installation and application of the latest security updates -- by blocking all inbound connections to the server until security updates have been installed.





Windows Firewall, a feature that Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 shares with Windows XP Service Pack 2, enables network-wide control through group policy and serves as a host firewall around each client and server computer. Other security features in the service pack include support for no-execute hardware, which reduces the likelihood of the broadest and most exploited avenues of information attack, and Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0 Metabase Auditing, which allows administrators to identify potential malicious users should the store become corrupted.





"Businesses of all sizes have a critical need to better protect themselves from the security threats that exist today, and Windows Server 2003 SP 1 includes new and enhanced technologies built specifically to help our customers up-level their security," said director of product management in the Windows Server division at Microsoft Samm DiStasio.