title: Windows Authentication and Network Service account as a db_owner
body: <p>There is a number of commercial products out there, that give you a windows based installers for configuring your app and the back end SQL Server DB. Typically it will ask if you want to connect to the DB with Windows or SQL Server authentication. Most of them make a recommendation to use Windows Auth and then configure your DB with the Network Service account assigned to the db_owner database role.
  I understand that Windows Authentication is more secure because you don't have to store credentials in web.config and send them over the wire when authentication to SQL Server, but is that a secure configuration for production environments, where the Network Service account is a db_owner? Any specific risks we should be aware of?</p>
  
  <hr>
  
  <p>Thanks StingyJack,</p>
  
  <p>I hear what you are saying, They would have to log in to the DB as a Network Service user first though. Is there an easy way to do that?</p>
  
  <p>What I am really trying to figure out is whether there are any inherent risks associated with the fact that it is the <strong>default</strong> Network Service account that is assigned the db_owner role. </p>