How the Authentication Process works in Asp.net

Process of ASP.NET authentication working

ASP.NET  runs inside the process of IIS. There are two types of authentication layers, which exist in ASP.NET system. 

1. Authentication happens at the IIS level
2. At the ASP.NET level depending on the WEB.CONFIG file.

Process:

• IIS first checks to make sure the incoming request comes from an IP address that is allowed access to the domain. If not it denies the request.
• Next IIS performs its own user authentication if it is configured to do so. By default IIS allows anonymous access, so requests are automatically authenticated, but we can change this default on a per application basis with in IIS.
• If the request is passed to ASP.net with an authenticated user, ASP.net checks to see whether impersonation is enabled. If impersonation is enabled, ASP.net acts as though it were the authenticated user. If not ASP.net acts with its own configured account
• Finally, the identity from step 3 is used to request resources from the operating system. If ASP.net authentication can obtain all the necessary resources it grants the users request otherwise it is denied. Resources can include much more than just the ASP.net page itself you can also use .Net’s code access security features to extend this authorization step to disk files, Registry keys and other resources.