Security Guide for Siebel eBusiness Applications > User Administration > Configuring Anonymous Browsing >

About Anonymous Browsing and Unregistered Users

Several Siebel applications allow anonymous browsing of views intended for public access as default functionality. Anonymous browsing typically applies to Siebel customer and partner applications, not employee applications. However, you can configure any Siebel application to either allow or disallow anonymous browsing.

Unregistered users gain access to application views and the database through the anonymous user. The anonymous user is a record in the Siebel Database that also performs functions during user authentication and user self-registration. If you implement an external authentication system, the anonymous user has a corresponding record in the user directory.

The anonymous user is required even if your applications do not allow access by unregistered users. When the Application Object Manager (AOM) first starts up, it uses the anonymous user account to connect to the database and retrieve information (such as a license key) before presenting the login page.

For information about the anonymous user's role in user authentication, see Security Adapter Authentication.