Method for operating a web server (WS) that is implemented on a computer (SE) having an operating system (BS) running thereon, wherein the web server (WS) is configured so as to execute a web server process (PR) using a web application (WA) in order to process requests (RE, RE') from clients (CL), wherein the web server process (PR), during normal operation (NB) of the web server (WS), is executed with permissions that rule out access to a predefined operating system area (GB) of the computer (SE), characterized in that - in a launch phase (IP) of the web server (WS) after the start thereof, the web server process (PR) is executed with elevated permissions that, in addition to the permissions during normal operation (NB), allow access to the predefined operating system area (GB) of the computer (SE), wherein, in the launch phase (IP), the web server process (PR) ignores requests (RE, RE') from clients (CL) and a further process (PR') having the elevated permissions of the web server process (PR) is started by the web server process (PR), wherein the further process (PR') is intended to execute actions (A) with access to the predefined operating system area (GB); - following the launch phase (IP), the web server process (PR) transitions to normal operation (NB) in order to process requests (RE, RE') from clients (CL), wherein, in the event that the web server process (PR) receives a request (RE') that requires an action (A) with access to the predefined operating system area (GB), the permissibility of the received request (RE') is checked by the web server process (PR), wherein, in the event of a permissible request, the web server process (PR) and the further process (PR') communicate (IPC), which prompts the further process (PR') to execute the action (A) with the required access to the predefined operating system area (GB) in accordance with the received request (RE'). - in a launch phase (IP) of the web server (WS) after the start thereof, the web server process (PR) is executed with elevated permissions that, in addition to the permissions during normal operation (NB), allow access to the predefined operating system area (GB) of the computer (SE), wherein, in the launch phase (IP), the web server process (PR) ignores requests (RE, RE') from clients (CL) and a further process (PR') having the elevated permissions of the web server process (PR) is started by the web server process (PR), wherein the further process (PR') is intended to execute actions (A) with access to the predefined operating system area (GB); - following the launch phase (IP), the web server process (PR) transitions to normal operation (NB) in order to process requests (RE, RE') from clients (CL), wherein, in the event that the web server process (PR) receives a request (RE') that requires an action (A) with access to the predefined operating system area (GB), the permissibility of the received request (RE') is checked by the web server process (PR), wherein, in the event of a permissible request, the web server process (PR) and the further process (PR') communicate (IPC), which prompts the further process (PR') to execute the action (A) with the required access to the predefined operating system area (GB) in accordance with the received request (RE'). <EOS>