What are the types of Authentication?

Introduction:
When you develop program for customers using ASP.Net, you must think about security. Security should be the one of the most priority components of any web application. Security is much important when you are developing a web application which is public and exposed to billion of users. Asp.net provides classes, structures and methods which ensure that the web application is more secure from any hacking or any outside attacks. Here we will go through the different types of authentications provided by ASP.Net. There is a web.config file in which you can set authentication mode 'forms' or windows'. We will see here the differences and how to you use them.
In dotnet four types of Authentication exists.

1)Windows,
2)Forms and
3)Passport Authentication.
4)Anonymous access

1)Windows authentication utilizes the security related features available into the Windows XP and Windows NT operating systems for authenticating and authorizing Web based applications users.

2)Forms authentication is the second type of authentication that allows you for creating your own database of users and also it validates the identity of those users whenever they open or visit your site.

3)Passport authentication is third authentication that uses the Microsoft centralized authentication provider for identifying visiters or users. This passport authentication provides an easy way for users to use a single identity over many Web based applications.

In order to use Passport authentication in your Web based application, you shoul install the Passport SDK.

4)Anonymous access You can explicitly disable authentication for your application if you know that it will be used only by anonymous users.