Rename IIS Anonymous (IUSR) Account

Applied to IIS 6.0

When we install IIS, it creates two user account IUSR_Computername & IWAM_Computername. IUSR stands for Internet User, IWAM – Internet Web Application Manager

If you rename them thru Computer User management section, you will find another two accounts get created with same old names. Even if you delete these two accounts they will automatically get created in next IIS restart or Os Reboot. Well these accounts are completely managed by IIS Metabase. So to rename them we have to edit IIS Metabase. Before you do anything in IIS Metabase make sure you have a good backup. To backup IIS Metabase

Right Click IIS Server Name -> All Tasks -> Backup and Restore config -> Then Click “create backup”

Let’s edit metabase file

• Stop IIS so we can edit the metabase file
  
• Open C:\WINDOWS\system32\inetsrv\Metabase.xml in Notepad or anyother text editor
  
• Search for AnonymousUserName (for IUSR account) and change the value to IUSR_<whatever you like>
  
• Search for WAMUserName (for IWAM account) and change the value to IWAM_<whatever you like>
  
• Save Metabase.xml 
  
• Start IIS Admin Service
  
• Open User Management console in Windows, you will find two new accounts with new names