Windows Authentication not working on local IIS 7.5. Error 401.1
Solution 1:
The issue here is that modern versions of Windows (Windows XP SP2, Windows Server 2003 SP1 and up) include a loopback check security feature that is designed to help prevent reflection attacks on your computer. Therefore, authentication fails if the FQDN or the custom host header that you use does not match the local computer name.
This can be resolved by either explicitly specifying host names or by disabling the loopback check. Obviously the former being the more controlled approach.
- Set the DisableStrictNameChecking registry entry to 1. See: 281308 (Note: This should be unnecessary for Windows Server 2008/Vista and later)
- In Registry Editor, locate and then click the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\MSV1_0
- Right-click MSV1_0, point to New, and then click Multi-String Value.
- Type BackConnectionHostNames, and then press ENTER.
- Right-click BackConnectionHostNames, and then click Modify.
- In the Value data box, type the host name or the host names for the sites that are on the local computer, and then click OK.
- Quit Registry Editor, and then restart the IISAdmin service.
Full details of how do to this can be found on MSDN: 896861
Hope this helps someone out. If you have any alternate suggestions or improvements please add.
Solution 2:
I want to add Michael Dark's comment as an answer because I don't have permissions to modify my registry so Pete's answer doesn't work for me but I was able to solve the problem.
I solved it by adding a new Binding to my website with no specified host name and a different port (because localhost:80 is used for me). As soon as I tried calling it from http://localhost:86/mypage, it worked. After a quick check in the browser, I tested a few times with cURL and it correctly accepted and rejected my credentials.
Solution 3:
Reinstall your IIS features again and make sure that WINDOWS auth checkbox statys checked.
Solution 4:
Here's the PowerShell code that I use to deal with back connection host names and IIS. Note that with a little work, the commandlets can be saved out to a module and used that way.
Import-Module WebAdministration
function Add-BackConnectionHostname
{
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Adds the back connection hostnames that will bypass the server loopback check.
.DESCRIPTION
Adds the hostname to the list of back connection hostnames that will bypass the server loopback check. Back connection host names
can be used to address the problem with IIS sites using Windows Authentication that is described in Microsoft KB896861.
.EXAMPLE
Add-BackConnectionHostname mywebsite.mydomain.tld
.EXAMPLE
Add-BackConnectionHostname mywebsite1.mydomain.tld, mywebsite2.mydomain.tld
.PARAMETER Hostname
The Hostname to add to the back connection hostnames list.
.LINK
Remove-BackConnectionHostname
Get-BackConnectionHostname
Enable-ServerLoopbackCheck
Disable-ServerLoopbackCheck
Get-ServerLoopbackCheck
"You receive error 401.1 when you browse a Web site that uses Integrated Authentication and is hosted on IIS 5.1 or a later version" (http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/896861)
#>
[CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess = $true)]
param
(
[Parameter(ValueFromPipeline = $true, Mandatory = $true)]
[string] $Hostname
)
begin
{
$keyPath = "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\MSV1_0"
$propertyName = "BackConnectionHostnames"
$key = Get-Item $keyPath
$property = $null
$propertyValues = $null
if ($key -ne $null)
{
$property = Get-ItemProperty $keyPath -Name $propertyName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($property -eq $null)
{
$property = New-ItemProperty $keyPath -Name $propertyName -Value $null -PropertyType ([Microsoft.Win32.RegistryValueKind]::MultiString) -ErrorAction Stop
Write-Verbose "Created the $($propertyName) property."
}
if ($property -ne $null)
{
$propertyValues = $property.$propertyName
}
}
}
process
{
if ($property -ne $null)
{
foreach ($hostNameValue in $Hostname)
{
if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($hostName) -eq $false -and $propertyValues -notcontains $hostNameValue)
{
$propertyValues += $hostNameValue
Write-Verbose "Added $($hostName) to the back connection hostnames."
}
else
{
Write-Verbose "Back connection host names already has an entry for $($hostName)."
}
}
}
}
end
{
if ($propertyValues -ne $null)
{
$propertyValues = $propertyValues | ?{ [string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_) -eq $false } | Sort -Unique
Set-ItemProperty $keyPath -Name $propertyName -Value $propertyValues
}
}
}
function Remove-BackConnectionHostname
{
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Removes the hostname from the list of back connection hostnames that will bypass the server loopback check.
.DESCRIPTION
Removes the hostname from the list of back connection hostnames that will bypass the server loopback check.
.EXAMPLE
Remove-BackConnectionHostname mywebsite.mydomain.tld
.EXAMPLE
Remove-BackConnectionHostname mywebsite1.mydomain.tld, mywebsite2.mydomain.tld
.PARAMETER Hostname
The Hostname to remove from the back connection hostnames list.
.LINK
Add-BackConnectionHostname
Get-BackConnectionHostname
Enable-ServerLoopbackCheck
Disable-ServerLoopbackCheck
Get-ServerLoopbackCheck
"You receive error 401.1 when you browse a Web site that uses Integrated Authentication and is hosted on IIS 5.1 or a later version" (http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/896861)
#>
[CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess = $true)]
param
(
[Parameter(ValueFromPipeline = $true, Mandatory = $true)]
[string] $Hostname
)
begin
{
$keyPath = "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\MSV1_0"
$propertyName = "BackConnectionHostnames"
$key = Get-Item $keyPath
$property = $null
$propertyValues = $null
if ($key -ne $null)
{
$property = Get-ItemProperty $keyPath -Name $propertyName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($property -ne $null)
{
$propertyValues = $property.$propertyName
}
else
{
Write-Verbose "The $($propertyName) property was not found."
}
}
}
process
{
if ($property -ne $null)
{
foreach ($hostNameValue in $Hostname)
{
if ($propertyValues -contains $hostNameValue)
{
$propertyValues = $propertyValues | ? { $_ -ne $hostName }
Write-Verbose "Removed $($hostName) from the $($propertyName) property."
}
else
{
Write-Verbose "No entry for $($hostName) was found in the $($propertyName) property."
}
}
}
}
end
{
if ($property -ne $null)
{
$propertyValues = $propertyValues | ?{ [string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_) -eq $false } | Sort -Unique
if ($propertyValues.Length -ne 0)
{
Set-ItemProperty $keyPath -Name $propertyName -Value $propertyValues
}
else
{
Remove-ItemProperty $keyPath -Name $propertyName
Write-Verbose "No entries remain after removing $($hostName). The $($propertyName) property was removed."
}
}
}
}
function Get-BackConnectionHostname
{
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Gets the list of back connection hostnames that will bypass the server loopback check.
.DESCRIPTION
Gets the back connection hostnames that will bypass the server loopback check. Back connection host names can be used to address
the problem with IIS sites using Windows Authentication that is described in Microsoft KB896861.
.EXAMPLE
Get-BackConnectionHostname
.LINK
Add-BackConnectionHostname
Remove-BackConnectionHostname
Enable-ServerLoopbackCheck
Disable-ServerLoopbackCheck
Get-ServerLoopbackCheck
"You receive error 401.1 when you browse a Web site that uses Integrated Authentication and is hosted on IIS 5.1 or a later version" (http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/896861)
#>
[CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess = $false)]
param
(
)
begin
{
$keyPath = "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\MSV1_0"
$propertyName = "BackConnectionHostnames"
$key = Get-Item $keyPath
$property = $null
if ($key -ne $null)
{
$property = Get-ItemProperty $keyPath -Name $propertyName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($property -eq $null)
{
Write-Verbose "The $($propertyName) property was not found."
}
}
}
process
{
$propertyValues = $null
if ($property -ne $null)
{
$propertyValues = $property.$propertyName
}
return $propertyValues
}
end
{
}
}
function Enable-ServerLoopbackCheck
{
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Enables the server loopback check. Enabled is the normal state for a Windows Server.
.DESCRIPTION
Enables the server loopback check. Having the loopback check enabled is the normal state for a Windows Server. Disabling the loopback check can be used to address
the problem with IIS sites using Windows Authentication that is described in Microsoft KB896861. It is NOT the preferred method. See the KB article for more details.
.EXAMPLE
Enable-ServerLoopbackCheck
.LINK
Add-BackConnectionHostname
Remove-BackConnectionHostname
Get-BackConnectionHostname
Enable-ServerLoopbackCheck
Get-ServerLoopbackCheck
"You receive error 401.1 when you browse a Web site that uses Integrated Authentication and is hosted on IIS 5.1 or a later version" (http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/896861)
#>
[CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess = $true)]
param
(
)
begin
{
$keyPath = "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa"
$propertyName = "DisableLoopbackCheck"
$key = Get-Item $keyPath
$property = $null
if ($key -ne $null)
{
$property = Get-ItemProperty $keyPath -Name $propertyName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($property -eq $null)
{
Write-Verbose "The $($propertyName) property was not found."
}
}
}
process
{
if ($property -ne $null)
{
Set-ItemProperty $keyPath -Name $propertyName -Value 0
}
}
end
{
}
}
function Disable-ServerLoopbackCheck
{
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Disables the server loopback check for all hostnames. Enabled is the normal state for a Windows Server.
.DESCRIPTION
Disables the server loopback check for all hostnames. Having the loopback check enabled is the normal state for a Windows Server. Disabling the loopback check can be used
to address the problem with IIS sites using Windows Authentication that is described in Microsoft KB896861. It is NOT the preferred method. See the KB article for more details.
.EXAMPLE
Disable-ServerLoopbackCheck
.LINK
Add-BackConnectionHostname
Remove-BackConnectionHostname
Get-BackConnectionHostname
Enable-ServerLoopbackCheck
Get-ServerLoopbackCheck
"You receive error 401.1 when you browse a Web site that uses Integrated Authentication and is hosted on IIS 5.1 or a later version" (http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/896861)
#>
[CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess = $true)]
param
(
)
begin
{
$keyPath = "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa"
$propertyName = "DisableLoopbackCheck"
$key = Get-Item $keyPath
$property = $null
if ($key -ne $null)
{
$property = Get-ItemProperty $keyPath -Name $propertyName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($property -eq $null)
{
Write-Verbose "The $($propertyName) property was not found."
}
}
}
process
{
if ($property -ne $null)
{
Set-ItemProperty $keyPath -Name $propertyName -Value 1
}
else
{
$property = New-ItemProperty $keyPath -Name $propertyName -PropertyType ([Microsoft.Win32.RegistryValueKind]::DWord) -Value 1
}
}
end
{
}
}
function Get-ServerLoopbackCheck
{
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Gets the status of the server loopback check. Enabled is the normal state for a Windows Server.
.DESCRIPTION
Gets the status of the server loopback check. Having the loopback check enabled is the normal state for a Windows Server. Disabling the loopback check can be used
to address the problem with IIS sites using Windows Authentication that is described in Microsoft KB896861. It is NOT the preferred method. See the KB article for
more details.
.EXAMPLE
Get-ServerLoopbackCheck
.LINK
Add-BackConnectionHostname
Remove-BackConnectionHostname
Get-BackConnectionHostname
Enable-ServerLoopbackCheck
Disable-ServerLoopbackCheck
"You receive error 401.1 when you browse a Web site that uses Integrated Authentication and is hosted on IIS 5.1 or a later version" (http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/896861)
#>
[CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess = $false)]
param
(
)
begin
{
$keyPath = "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa"
$propertyName = "DisableLoopbackCheck"
$key = Get-Item $keyPath
$property = $null
if ($key -ne $null)
{
$property = Get-ItemProperty $keyPath -Name $propertyName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
process
{
$loopbackCheckStatus = "Enabled"
if ($property -ne $null)
{
switch ($property)
{
0 { $loopbackCheckStatus = "Enabled" }
1 { $loopbackCheckStatus = "Disabled" }
default { $loopbackCheckStatus = "Unknown" }
}
}
return $loopbackCheckStatus
}
end
{
}
}
function Get-WebsiteHostname
{
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Gets the hostnames for the IP addresses bound to a web site.
.DESCRIPTION
Gets the hostnames for the IP addresses bound to a web site. Where a host header exists, the host header is used; otherwise, the IP address is looked up
in DNS to see if a PTR record exists.
.EXAMPLE
Get-WebSiteHostname $webSite
.EXAMPLE
Get-WebSiteHostname -Name 'Default Web Site'
.EXAMPLE
Get-Website | Get-WebSiteHostname
.LINK
Get-Website
#>
[CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess = $false)]
param
(
[Parameter(ValueFromPipeline = $true, ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName = $true, Mandatory = $true)]
[string] $Name
)
process
{
$siteHostnames = @()
foreach ($webSiteName in $Name)
{
$bindings = Get-WebBinding -Name $Name
foreach ($binding in $bindings)
{
$bindingInfo = $binding.bindingInformation.Split(':')
$hostHeader = $bindingInfo[2]
$bindingInfoAddress = $null
$isValidIP = [System.Net.IPAddress]::TryParse($bindingInfo[0], [ref] $bindingInfoAddress)
$siteHostname = $null
if ($bindingInfo -eq '*')
{
Write-Warning "The $($webSiteName) web site has a binding address set to All Unassigned."
}
elseif ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($hostHeader) -eq $false)
{
$siteHostname = $hostHeader
Write-Verbose "The $($webSiteName) web site has a host header set to $($siteHostname)."
}
elseif ($isValidIP -eq $true)
{
$siteHostname = (Resolve-DnsName $bindingInfoAddress -DnsOnly PTR -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).NameHost
if ($siteHostname -ne $null)
{
Write-Verbose "The $($webSiteName) web site has an IP Address $($bindingInfoAddress) that resolves to $($siteHostname)."
}
else
{
Write-Warning "The $($webSiteName) web site has an IP Address $($bindingInfoAddress) with no PTR record."
}
}
}
if ($siteHostname -ne $null)
{
$siteHostnames += $siteHostname
}
}
return $siteHostnames | Sort -Unique
}
}
Get-Website | ?{ (Get-WebConfiguration -Filter '/system.web/authentication' -PSPath $_.PSPath).mode -eq 'Windows' } | Get-WebsiteHostname | Add-BackConnectionHostname