The late-August release of a Microsoft security update has created problems for some colleges' technology departments, but AU "doesn't have any major issues with it," according to AU's e-operations Executive Director Carl Whitman.
During the last week of August, Microsoft released its annual security update, designed to provide users of the operating system Windows XP with more comprehensive security protection against viruses and unwanted e-mails.
Whitman encouraged users to download the update.
"It will help to improve the stability of our network and help to make it possible for individual users to use their computers with less interference from disruptive network activity," Whitman said in an e-mail. "We believe that installing this upgrade right away is the best action we can take to ensure the continued operation of our network, and that at AU at least, there was no compelling reason to avoid it."
Microsoft's Web site said that the update, called Service Pack 2, is designed to patch gaps in the Windows XP security system by providing users with improvements, including better Internet security firewalls, spam pop-up blockers for Internet Explorer, protection from harmful e-mail attachments and improved privacy online.
The Web site for AU's e-operations department said Service Pack 2 was available for students to download Aug. 25 and that CDs containing the program have been ordered from Microsoft.
Jack Suess, chief information officer at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, said, "[The update] will be a major improvement, [but] my problem was with the timing."
One of the most feared problems is the ability of Service Pack 2's default firewall to interfere with a network's virus protection program. The firewall has the potential to block communication with specific antivirus programs, such as Norton AntiVirus, AU's Web site said.
If a user downloads Service Pack 2, some programs might need minor changes in order to work correctly, Whitman said.
Suess said other problems of concern include the amount of bandwidth used to download SP2, and the potential jamming of networks caused by excessive quantities of students downloading at the same time.
Because of these anticipated problems, some local colleges including George Mason University and the Catholic University of America have blocked students and staff from downloading the update, The Washington Post reported.
UMBC initially discouraged the downloading of the update, but reversed its decision after determining problems would be minimal, Suess said.
"SP2 was released so close to the start of school that we could not guarantee that it would not impact some application that was critically important, and we knew with the start of the semester we could not 'fix' thousands of machines in a short timeframe," he said.
Other colleges, including AU and Georgetown University, encouraged students to acquire the automatic update.
"Risk for disruption of our network and system operations is high without it," the e-operations Web site said.
Whitman said Service Pack 2 caused no problems "that were not expected."
Some AU students, such as freshman Travis McArthur, actively sought out and downloaded the update.
"I knew the XP operating system had flaws to begin with, and I hoped [Service Pack 2] would make it generally better," he said. He has noticed minor problems since downloading it. "It sometimes blocks my I-tunes application."
Others who installed the update said they have noticed subtle changes in their computer usage.
"It blocks my pop-ups a lot more," freshman Jessie Garth said.
AU's Web site provides detailed steps on how to configure computers to receive automatic updates and has direct links to the Microsoft Web site for direct downloads. The page also guides users in case the update conflicts with the Norton Anti-Virus program.
