User challenged for user credentials for every 5 minutes of inactivity while editing the site using FrontPage

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Problem

User challenged for user credentials for every 5 minutes of inactivity while editing the site using FrontPage.

Environment

Website configured for Digest Authentication

Cause

It is a default behavior of the Digest Authentication to challenge the user for user credentials for every 300 seconds (5 minutes) of inactivity. However, there is a registry key which can be set to change the timeout period.

https://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003/Library/IIS/be052923-6022-4007-833f-587c2fa33e78.mspx?mfr=true

The above article also mentions that there is a registry entry DigestContextCacheTTL which may help to increase or decrease the time limit

Resolution

Setting the following registry key may allow the user to change the timeout period:

DigestContextCacheTTL

Registry Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\InetInfo\Parameters

Data Type: REG_DWORD

Default Value: 300 (seconds)

Range: 0 - 4,294,967

When using Advanced Digest Authentication, this value overrides the Time To Live (TTL) setting for fully formed security contexts after the first authentication request succeeds.

https://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003/Library/IIS/60a90c91-a8d0-43b6-89db-a431d0ea0cb4.mspx?mfr=true