Overview of SP2 Computers are becoming remarkably capable and advanced. Trouble is, so are the hackers, viruses, and worms that threaten them. That's why Microsoft has made security a top priority, and is helping users like you take a proactive approach to protecting your PC, information, and privacy.
What's New on Windows Update Wondering why you've been asked to upgrade to the next version of Microsoft Windows Update? It's simple—changes to the Web site's technology offer faster and better ways to get the updates that your PC needs. More in-depth information helps you choose and manage updates that you install. And you can get more help and troubleshooting support for keeping your PCs and networks secured and up to date.
Release Notes for Windows XP SP2 This article lists Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that are included in the release notes for Windows XP SP2. This article also lists Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that document known issues and other information about Windows XP SP2 for the release notes.
Description of the new Data Execution Protection feature SP2 uses a new data execution prevention (DEP) feature to help prevent the execution of malicious code from data pages. When an attempt is made to run code from a marked data page, an exception immediately occurs and prevents the code from executing. This prevents an attacker from overrunning a data buffer with code and then executing the code.