Microsoft Internet Information Server is a program for Windows that provides a web server designed for use with the NT family of operating systems. There is support for numerous protocols, including HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SMTP, NNTP, and others.

General notes

The software has been a core component of the Windows NT since the 4.0 version. It is necessary to mention that it might not be present in certain editions, such as Windows XP Home, and remains inactive by default. Alternatively, you may try a utility like Savant Web Server.

For modern operating systems, the developers offer a self contained version of IIS named IIS Express. It encompasses the key functionalities of the complete web server. Please note that you can perform various tasks without administrative privileges.

Security aspect

A repeated attack with a specifically altered request might prompt the Microsoft Internet Information Server to consume excessive memory, leading to service failure. This issue can arise when the client employs the Transfer Encoding.

To maintain website security, you need to implement appropriate measures that safeguard the server from potential breaches. It is possible to use the integrated features of the program to ensure protection. For instance, you can manage access by controlling the permitted IP addresses and domains.

Features

free to download and use;
compatible with modern Windows versions;
allows you to install a general purpose web server;
you can control which IPs and domains have access;
it is possible to use logging to view visitors.