My SQL Server Windows service is set to use the NETWORK SERVICE account.

The server is installed to C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL.

However looking at the permissions on that folder, NETWORK SERVICE does not have any permissions. The groups which are allowed access to that folder are...

• CREATOR OWNER - who is this?
• SYSTEM - sounds fine - so that Windows can access the folder I presume?
• SQLServerMSSQLUser$Computer_Name$MSSQLSERVER - this is the interesting one - what is this?
• Administrators
• Users

If NETWORK SERVICE is a user with minimal permissions on the system and looks to the O/S as someone connecting from a network how does it have permissions to access any files in the SQL Server install folder?

Thanks.