Windows Service Console app user

Question

I've created a very simple C# one liner app which keeps an IIS/Entity Framework web application warm by simply loading the page (Using the built in IIS Warm up just wasn't working for me). I want to run it as a scheduled service once every 5 minutes - regardless of whether a user is logged in. Are there any built in users that would be appropriate for this scheduled task to use or would I need to create one?

Answer 1

You could create your own user if you wanted, either a local or domain user.

You could use the Local Service account.

You could use the Network Service account.

You could use a Virtual Service Account, which is essentially the local counterpart to Managed Service Accounts in an AD domain.

What you typically want to avoid is running a service as Local System. That's because the Local System account has unlimited access to the local computer, so if your service were running as local system, it could potentially have the ability to totally trash your system, either accidentally through bad code, or maliciously by being exploited.

So you've got at least three options there. Just make sure that whatever account you pick, has the rights assigned to them to do what they need to do.