---
title: "Walkthrough: Disable the Security database on a Content Delivery instance"
slug: "walkthrough--disable-the-security-database-on-a-content-delivery-instance"
abstract: "How to disable the Sitecore Security database on a Content Delivery instance."
---
# Walkthrough: Disable the Security database on a Content Delivery instance

Sitecore uses the Security database to store security information. The Security database is by default part of the Core database but [it can be separated to a stand-alone database](https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/91/platform-administration-and-architecture/walkthrough--moving-security-data-to-a-separate-database.html "Walkthrough: Moving security data to a separate database"). The Content Delivery (CD) instance uses the `security` connection string to communicate with the Security database whether it is part of the Core database or a stand-alone database.

You can disable the Security database on your CD instances if they do not need user authentication, and you want to keep them as small-scale as possible.

> [!important]
> If the Federated Experience Manager (FXM) is being used, *do not* disable the Security database on the CD instance.

To accomplish this, you need disable four components on each CD instance:

- Federated authentication
- ASP.NET Membership authentication
- The Security database connection
- The `EnsureAnonymousUsers` processor

## Disable federated authentication

To disable federated authentication:

1. In the root folder of the CD instance, open the `Web.config` file.
2. In the `appSettings` node, in the `add key="security:define"` node, change the `value` attribute to `None`.

    ```text
    <add key="security:define" value="None" />
    ```

    > [!note]
    > This disables [Authentication.OWIN](https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/91/sitecore-experience-manager/using-federated-authentication-with-sitecore.html) and federated authentication.

3. Save the `Web.config` file.

## Disable ASP.NET Membership authentication

To disable ASP.Net Membership authentication:

1. In the root folder of the CD instance, open the `Web.config` file.
2. In the `system.web/membership` node:
    - In the `add name="sitecore"` node, change the `realProviderName` attribute to `disabled`.
    - Delete the `add name="sql"` node.

    ```xml
    <membership defaultProvider="sitecore" hashAlgorithmType="SHA1">
      <providers>
        <clear />
        <add name="sitecore"
          type="Sitecore.Security.SitecoreMembershipProvider, Sitecore.Kernel"
          realProviderName="disabled"
          providerWildcard="%"
          raiseEvents="true" />
        <add name="sql"
          type="System.Web.Security.SqlMembershipProvider"
          connectionStringName="security"
          applicationName="sitecore" minRequiredPasswordLength="1"
          minRequiredNonalphanumericCharacters="0"
          requiresQuestionAndAnswer="false"
          requiresUniqueEmail="false"
          maxInvalidPasswordAttempts="5" />
        <add name="disabled"
          type="Sitecore.Security.DisabledMembersipProvider, Sitecore.Kernel"
          applicationName="sitecore" />
        <add name="switcher"
          type="Sitecore.Security.SwitchingMembershipProvider, Sitecore.Kernel"
          applicationName="sitecore"
          mappings="switchingProviders/membership" />
      </providers>
    </membership>
    ```

3. In the `system.web/roleManager` node:
    - In the `add name="sitecore"` node, change the `realProviderName` attribute to `disabled`.
    - Delete the `add name="sql"` node.

    ```xml
    <roleManager defaultProvider="sitecore" enabled="true">
      <providers>
        <clear />
        <add name="sitecore"
          type="Sitecore.Security.SitecoreRoleProvider, Sitecore.Kernel"
          realProviderName="disabled"
          raiseEvents="true" />
        <add name="sql"
          type="System.Web.Security.SqlRoleProvider"
          connectionStringName="security"
          applicationName="sitecore" />
        <add name="disabled"
          type="Sitecore.Security.DisabledRoleProvider, Sitecore.Kernel"
          applicationName="sitecore" />
        <add name="switcher"
          type="Sitecore.Security.SwitchingRoleProvider, Sitecore.Kernel"
          applicationName="sitecore"
          mappings="switchingProviders/roleManager" />
      </providers>
    </roleManager>
    ```

4. In the `system.web/profile` node:
    - Change the `defaultprovider` attribute to `disabled`.
    - Delete the `add name="sql"` node.

    ```xml
    <profile defaultProvider="disabled" enabled="true" inherits="Sitecore.Security.UserProfile, Sitecore.Kernel">
      <providers>
        <clear />
        <add name="sql"
          type="System.Web.Profile.SqlProfileProvider"
          connectionStringName="security"
          applicationName="sitecore" />
        <add name="disabled"
          type="Sitecore.Security.DisabledProfileProvider, Sitecore.Kernel"
          applicationName="sitecore" />
        <add name="switcher"
          type="Sitecore.Security.SwitchingProfileProvider, Sitecore.Kernel"
          applicationName="sitecore"
          mappings="switchingProviders/profile" />
      </providers>
    </profile>
    ```

5. Save the `Web.config` file.

> [!note]
> Setting the `realProviderName` attribute to `disabled` makes Sitecore use the `name=disabled` provider with the active user being a user named *Undefined*.

## Disable the Security database connection

To disable the Security database connection:

1. In the `App_Config\` folder of the CD instance, open the `ConnectionStrings.config` file.
2. Delete the `add name="security"` node.
3. Save the `ConnectionStrings.config` file.

## Disable the EnsureAnonymousUsers processor

To disable the `EnsureAnonymousUsers` processor:

1. In the `App_Config\` folder of the CD instance, open the `Sitecore.config` file.
2. Comment out the `processor type="Sitecore.Pipelines.Loader.EnsureAnonymousUsers, Sitecore.Kernel"` node.

    ```text
    <!-- <processor type="Sitecore.Pipelines.Loader.EnsureAnonymousUsers, Sitecore.Kernel" resolve="true" /> -->
    ```

3. Save the `Sitecore.config` file.