401.3 Unauthorized Due to ACL on Resource (247603)

We strongly recommend that all users upgrade to Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) version 6.0 running on Microsoft Windows Server 2003. IIS 6.0 significantly increases Web infrastructure security. For more information about IIS security-related topics, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/prodtech/IIS.mspx

SYMPTOMS

When you connect to an Internet Information Services 5.0 Web site (or a particular page on that site), the following error message may occur:

401.3 Unauthorized due to ACL on resource

CAUSE

This problem occurs when permissions for the file that the user is trying to access are denied to that user. This error message differs from a standard 401 error message, in that, the user has been logged on to the server, but the resource that the user is trying to access is restricted. For example, if only Administrators and LocalSystem have access to a file on the server and a user, who is a member of the Users group, tries to access it, the user receives a 401.3 (provided they can log on to the server).

RESOLUTION

Check the NTFS permissions on the file in question. Make sure the users or groups that need access to the file are listed in the file permissions.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about setting access permissions on files, see the Windows 2000 documentation.