A type of Windows Account that Windows Services run under.
They provide the minimum privileges needed for a service to function while keeping security strict (least-privilege principle).
Types
- Local System Account
- Local Service Account
- Network Service Account
- Custom/Managed service accounts: User-created accounts (often in Active Directory) with specific permissions. Good for services that need access to network resources or files but not full admin rights.
- Virtual accounts: Created automatically for services in Windows Server 2008+. Acts like a local account but are tied to the service.