Windows XP Service Pack 2 adds new functionality and brings about several changes. One of these many changes is to the firewall component. This component was once disabled by default. However, in an attempt to be more proactive in terms of security, the firewall component is now enabled by default in SP2.

Other changes that relate to the Windows Firewall are the new group policy settings that are supported in Windows XP SP2. The additional firewall settings supported under SP2 are listed below:

• Windows Firewall: Protect all network connections
• Windows Firewall: Do not allow exceptions
• Windows Firewall: Define program exceptions
• Windows Firewall: Allow local program exceptions
• Windows Firewall: Allow remote administration exception
• Windows Firewall: Allow file and printer sharing exception
• Windows Firewall: Allow ICMP exceptions
• Windows Firewall: Allow Remote Desktop exception
• Windows Firewall: Allow UPnP framework exception
• Windows Firewall: Prohibit notifications
• Windows Firewall: Allow logging
• Windows Firewall: Prohibit unicast response to multicast or broadcast requests
• Windows Firewall: Define port exceptions
• Windows Firewall: Allow local port exceptions
• Windows Firewall: Protect all network connections
• Windows Firewall: Do not allow exceptions
• Windows Firewall: Define program exceptions
• Windows Firewall: Allow local program exceptions
• Windows Firewall: Allow remote administration exception
• Windows Firewall: Allow file and printer sharing exception
• Windows Firewall: Allow ICMP exceptions
• Windows Firewall: Allow Remote Desktop exception
• Windows Firewall: Allow UPnP framework exception
• Windows Firewall: Prohibit notifications
• Windows Firewall: Allow logging
• Windows Firewall: Prohibit unicast response to multicast or broadcast requests
• Windows Firewall: Define port exceptions
• Windows Firewall: Allow local port exceptions

You can find out more and read a detailed description of each of the Windows Firewall group policy settings supported by SP2.