Microsoft's new Security Update CD

Just read on NeoWin that Microsoft is working on a new beta for its Windows Update testers. The beta test includes downloading a 300 MB ISO of Microsoft's new "Windows Security Update CD". Apparently the CD contains most of Microsoft's recent security patches for W2K and WXP. I wouldn't be suprised if this will end up being a deployment mechanism for XP SP2 "Springboard" in the coming release.

Microsoft has also included a useful tool on the CD called Windows Security advisor. In some ways, its sort of a trimmed down version of Microsoft Base Line Security Analyzer (Which you should get here if you don't already have it). The program essentially turns on automatic updating (you can argue if this is a good thing or not elsewhere), and also enables the firewall built into Windows XP. Undoubtedly a good thing for all users.

The next question will end up being how will they get the CD to the end users. I don't know the answer to that, but hope the ISO itself is freely available for download. The fact that Microsoft is working on a CD at all is excellent news. There are even a few screen shots:

• Welcome Page
  
• Windows Security Advisor Screen
  
• Update Page
  
• End Page

From the screen shots, it still looks like it may be a ways off. (What does Winter 2004 mean?) As I said earlier, this could make it a perfect deployment vehicle for XP SP2 and W2K3 SP1.

We will just have to wait and see.

Posted by SilverStr at November 15, 2003 11:53 AM | TrackBack