Question

How do I use impersonation to run a C# Winforms application with admin privileges?
Can anyone throw some light on this?

Answer 1

Following line of code may help you to achieve your goal. I found this in a “Code Project” article.

check full article : http://www.codeproject.com/KB/dotnet/UserImpersonationInNET.aspx

using System.Security.Principal;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;


//the following code executed before you perform your task

if ( ! ImpersonationUtil.Impersonate( _userName, _password, _domain ) )

{
MessageBox.Show("Impersonation failed.");
return;
}

//Perform task as this user here...

//After your task, do this:
ImpersonationUtil.UnImpersonate();


Here is the code for the ImpersonationUtil class:

/// <summary>
/// Impersonate a windows logon.
/// </summary>
public class ImpersonationUtil {

/// <summary>
/// Impersonate given logon information.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="logon">Windows logon name.</param>
/// <param name="password">password</param>
/// <param name="domain">domain name</param>
/// <returns></returns>
public static bool Impersonate( string logon, string password, string
domain ) {
WindowsIdentity tempWindowsIdentity;
IntPtr token = IntPtr.Zero;
IntPtr tokenDuplicate = IntPtr.Zero;

if( LogonUser( logon, domain, password, LOGON32_LOGON_INTERACTIVE,
LOGON32_PROVIDER_DEFAULT, ref token) != 0 ) {

if ( DuplicateToken( token, 2, ref tokenDuplicate ) != 0 ) {
tempWindowsIdentity = new WindowsIdentity(tokenDuplicate);
impersonationContext = tempWindowsIdentity.Impersonate();
if ( null != impersonationContext ) return true;
}
}

return false;
}

/// <summary>
/// Unimpersonate.
/// </summary>
public static void UnImpersonate() {
impersonationContext.Undo();
}

[DllImport("advapi32.dll", CharSet=CharSet.Auto)]
public static extern int LogonUser(
string lpszUserName,
String lpszDomain,
String lpszPassword,
int dwLogonType,
int dwLogonProvider,
ref IntPtr phToken );

[DllImport("advapi32.dll",
CharSet=System.Runtime.InteropServices.CharSet.Aut o,
SetLastError=true)]
public extern static int DuplicateToken(
IntPtr hToken,
int impersonationLevel,
ref IntPtr hNewToken );

private const int LOGON32_LOGON_INTERACTIVE = 2;
private const int LOGON32_LOGON_NETWORK_CLEARTEXT = 4;
private const int LOGON32_PROVIDER_DEFAULT = 0;
private static WindowsImpersonationContext impersonationContext;
}