Another type of wireless, Bluetooth, also receives an update with SP2. Not tested for this story, Microsoft says the point of the update is to provide support for a wider range of the latest Bluetooth devices, including wireless keyboards, mice, and connections with cell phones and PDAs.
It's a small feature, but certain to be a favorite. Windows XP SP2 will add automatic pop-up blocking to Internet Explorer. The feature is well designed with a simple-but-functional white list (for sites whose pop-ups you want to see). So far, we've only seen it choke on one Web site (ESPN), and the next day it worked fine there.
Although we were unable to test this, Microsoft has apparently added a new feature that blocks remotely-initiated downloads. It's designed to protect Windows users from accidentally downloading and installing potentially malicious programs from Web sites. The feature is apparently designed to block unsolicited download prompts only. When users initiate a download, that process is unhindered. According to a Microsoft document, an indicator in the form of a download link will appear below the browser toolbar when a download is blocked, and users can opt to install anyway by clicking it.
Windows Longhorn build 4051, the alpha release of the next major version of Windows, has the same pop-up blocker that Windows XP SP2 displays. It also adds a new Download Manager whose functionality is sketchy, but presumably it will allow Windows to interrupt and resume downloads initiated by Windows users. It doesn't appear this functionality will make it into Windows XP SP2.
New functionality in IE has been scarce for quite some time. We're hoping that Microsoft is also considering the addition of "tabbed browsing," or multiple browser windows within a single launched instance of the browser. Many people prefer that paradigm, and virtually all IE's competitors now offer it, including Mozilla and Opera.
By combining resources and expertise, the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium will offer a blueprint for how industries can adapt to an AI-dominated future.
IT leaders should heed the guidance of cybersecurity insurance providers who think businesses should prioritize security education, incident preparedness, regular internal audits, and ongoing vulnerability scanning and patching.
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