Many of the new features in ASP.NET 2.0 are meant to simply common tasks in web development. How many of us have dragged two labels, a pair of text boxes, a checkbox, and a submit button onto an .ascx and hooked everything up to create a Login control? Now the Login control and its helpful counterparts like LoginStatus, LoginView, etc. are part of the toolbox along with wizards to hook up with wherever you’re storing your user information. (And there was much rejoicing…)

There are other new security features in ASP.NET 2.0 that simplify common tasks. Dan “Security Man” Sellers has been busily blogging about some of these cool new features. I would highly recommend:

Security Trimming and Site Navigation: Need to filter your menu based on the permissions of the logged in user? ASP.NET 2.0 does this for you now. (N.B. You’ll still want to protect the pages using Forms Auth. Not showing unavailable options makes for a nice UI experience, but not a secure site does it make.)

Challenge Questions and Password Reset: Forgotten your password? Let’s reset it and email it to you after you answer the challenge question. This is standard fare for many websites and is now available out of the box. Dan lets you in on the magic necessary to make it all work.

ASP.NET 2.0 Provider Model: Dan points you to some great resources on learning the new provider model. As an architect, this is something I really need to spend some time wrapping my head around. At 120 pages worth of information, it should give me lots to read on the bus ride to/from the office.

Dan has got more great stuff coming down the pipe. So be sure to tune in. Subscribed!