Building Secure Microsoft® ASP.NET Applications

Appendix . How To: Create a Custom Account to Run ASP.NET

This How To describes how to create a least privileged local account to run the ASP.NET worker process (aspnet_wp.exe) or for impersonated identities in virtual directories. Although the procedures in this How To create a local account, the same concepts apply to a domain account.

ASP.NET Worker Process Identity

The default account for running ASP.NET, created at installation time, is a least privileged local account and is specified in machine.config as follows:

<processModel enable="true" userName="machine" password="AutoGenerate" />

This account is identified as ASPNET under Local Users and Groups, and has a strong password secured in the Local System Authority (LSA).

When you need to access ...