How to Start/Stop a Windows Service from an ASP.NET app - Security issues

Question

Here\'s my Windows/.NET security stack:

• A Windows Service running as LocalSystem on a Windows Server 2003 box.
• A .NET 3.5 Website running on the same

Answer 1

If your web application has the database and windows service can access it, you can just use the flag in the DB to restart the service. In the service, you can read this flag and restart if not busy etc. Only in case if you can modify the code of the service. If it's third party service you can create your own windows service and use database config to control (restart) services. It's the safe way and gives you much more flexibility and security.