What Are The Iis Authentication Methods In Windows Server 2003

The default authentication methods are Anonymous access and Integrated Windows Authentication.

1)      Anonymous Access:

When this authentication is enabled, no credentials are required to access the site. No user name or password prompt will appear to the user opening the web site. This authentication method takes priority of other authentication methods, means if Anonymous authentication is enabled, then IIS will try to authenticate users by using anonymous authentication first, even if we have turned on other authentication methods.

 

2)      Integrated Windows Authentication

This method requires Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 or later. This method is useful only in the same domain where web users and web servers are in the same domain. This method was previously named NTLM authentication method and works with Kerberos authentication which is most secure for authenticating domain users.

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Users are not prompted for the user name and password; instead server negotiates the security packages installed on client computers.

 

3)      Digest Authentication

This authentication method requires clients having Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or later. User’s credentials are sent in hash value format by encrypting them with MD5 algorithm. Users are prompted for user name and password which provides a medium level security.

 

4)      Basic Authentication

It provides a low level of security because user’s credentials are sent in plain text/ clear text information with no privacy. It is recommended to use SSL with this authentication to encrypt all the information.

 

5)      Microsoft .NET Passport Authentication

This authentication requires users having single sign-in name and password to securely access all .NET passport enabled services and sites. These sites rely on central .NET Passport Server to authenticate users, instead of using their own authentication systems.

 

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