[This is preliminary documentation and subject to change]

Authentication Methods

Use this dialog box to configure your Web server to verify the identify of, or authenticate, users to prevent unauthorized users from establishing a Web (HTTP) connection to restricted content. The authentication process involves determining whether a user has a valid Windows user account with appropriate Windows File System (NTFS) permissions for accessing a particular Web site, directory, or file.

Anonymous access

To allow users to establish an anonymous connection, select this option. Your server will log on the user with an anonymous or guest account, which is a valid Windows user account.

Authenticated access

Basic authentication

To enable your Web server's Basic authentication method, which is a widely used industry standard method for identifying users, select this option.

Important Basic authentication results in the transmission of passwords across the network in an unencrypted form. A determined computer vandal equipped with a network monitoring tool could intercept user names and passwords.

Edit

To configure your Web server to assume a default logon domain, other than the local domain, for users who do not explicitly provide their domain name, click Edit.

Digest authentication

This method is new in IIS 5.0 and 5.1, and sends a hash value over the network rather than the password. This method works across proxy servers and other firewalls.

Integrated Windows authentication

During the integrated Windows authentication process, your Web server engages in a cryptographic information exchange with the user's Internet Explorer Web browser.

Once enabled, your Web server will only use integrated Windows authentication under the following conditions:

- Anonymous access disabled.
- Anonymous access denied because Windows file system permissions have been set, requiring the users to provide a Windows user name and password before establishing a connection with restricted content.

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