Service packs are used to distribute product updates. They contain updates that are designed to increase system reliability, program compatibility, security, and so on. All of the updates are bundled together so they can be downloaded and installed at once. SP1 RC2 for Windows Server 2003 is no exception. It contains many new features and enhancements to improve different aspects of the operating system. Some of the new features and enhancements you can expect to find are outlined below.

• The windows firewall component can be configured through Group Policy. It also contains boot-time protection. This eliminates the chances of an attack on your server during system start-up and shut down.

• The Post-Setup Security Updates (PSSU) is a new feature of the service pack. It is designed to block all incoming traffic to a new server until all the latest updates have been installed.
• SP1 introduces the Security Configuration Wizard (SCW). As the name implies, administrators can use it to secure a server. The wizard helps administrators disable unused services, block unnecessary ports, modify registry values, and configure audit settings.
• Internet Explorer includes new enhancements to protect the operating system. It is more effective in preventing the download of unauthentic or bogus files and preventing Web pages from accessing cached objects.
• Outlook Express includes additional improvements. OE allows you to open e-mail in plain-text. This prevents any HTML messages from running malicious code. OE prevents e-mail messages from downloading external content. This prevents spam senders from validating your e-mail address. The Attachment Manager included with OE also checks any e-mail attachments you receive.
• SP1 better protects services such as remote procedure call (RPC) and DCOM by requiring greater authentication for calls of these services. This establishes a higher level of security for applications that use these system services.
• SP1 introduces new Group Policies for firewall configuration and deployment. This allows administrators centralize the management of the Windows firewall on clients and servers.

You can find out more about SP1 for Windows Server 2003 on the Microsoft Web site before you deploy it in your test environment.