The configuration section cannot contain a CDATA or text element error in web.config file
You have a semicolon in front of
<deny users="*"/>This semicolon is not allowed and is the reason you are getting that error.
Make sure there's no stray character in the configuration file. It can be as "harmless" as a misplaced "-->" or extra ." or anything really minor.
Usually this error comes when there is invalid syntax in web config file