Forms authentication enables you to authenticate the user name and password of your users using a login form that you create. Unauthenticated requests are redirected to a login page, where the user provides credentials and submits the form. If the application authenticates the request, the system issues a ticket that contains a key for reestablishing the identity for subsequent requests.

The topics in this section describe how to use forms authentication to create a custom login system.

Note
A convenient way to use forms authentication is to use ASP.NET membership (which stores user credentials) and the ASP.NET login controls (which you can use to create a login page).

In This Section

ASP.NET Forms Authentication Overview

How to: Implement Simple Forms Authentication

Forms Authentication Control Flow

Forms Authentication Credentials

Forms Authentication Utilities

Handling FormsAuthentication Events

Forms Authentication Across Applications

Related Sections

ASP.NET Web Site Security: Provides links to all topics on security in ASP.NET security.

Managing Users by Using Membership: Provides information about managing user names and passwords with built-in ASP.NET classes.

ASP.NET Login Controls Overview.: Provides information about controls you can use to create pages for logging in, managing passwords, and creating new users.