SharePoint 2007: The Definitive Guide

Allowing Anonymous Users Access to SharePoint

Although this is not generally recommended, it is possible to allow anonymous users access to a SharePoint site and its lists and libraries. The preferred practice is to allow only authenticated users access, which means that anyone accessing the site collection is a member or your organization in some way.

If you allow anonymous users access, even with read-only privileges, they will still be able to view the information contained on the site, including email addresses, phone numbers, and other data you might not want available to the general public. You can allow or restrict anonymous user access in the following ways:

Allow Access to the Entire Site

An anonymous user would be able to browse the top-level site and any subsites that inherit parent site permissions. They can open and read the contents of any list or library available in the site collection where parent site permissions propagate.

Allow Access only to Specific Lists and Libraries

You can specify which lists and libraries can be accessed anonymously.

Nothing

This completely denies anonymous users access to the site collection and any of its contents.

Anonymous access must be enabled by the site owner or administrator before these options can be accessed. One of the only justifications for allowing anonymous access to lists and libraries is if they contain information you want potential customers to view, such as content about your products and services. In that case, anonymous ...