GetKernelObjectSecurity function (securitybaseapi.h)

The GetKernelObjectSecurity function retrieves a copy of the security descriptor that protects a kernel object.

Syntax

BOOL GetKernelObjectSecurity(
  [in]            HANDLE               Handle,
  [in]            SECURITY_INFORMATION RequestedInformation,
  [out, optional] PSECURITY_DESCRIPTOR pSecurityDescriptor,
  [in]            DWORD                nLength,
  [out]           LPDWORD              lpnLengthNeeded
);

Parameters

[in] Handle

A handle to a kernel object.

[in] RequestedInformation

Specifies a SECURITY_INFORMATION value that identifies the security information being requested.

[out, optional] pSecurityDescriptor

A pointer to a buffer the function fills with a copy of the security descriptor of the specified object. The calling process must have the right to view the specified aspects of the object's security status. The SECURITY_DESCRIPTOR structure is returned in self-relative format.

[in] nLength

Specifies the size, in bytes, of the buffer pointed to by the pSecurityDescriptor parameter.

[out] lpnLengthNeeded

A pointer to a variable that receives the number of bytes required for the buffer pointed to by the pSecurityDescriptor parameter. If this variable's value is greater than the value of the nLength parameter when the function returns, none of the security descriptor is copied to the buffer.

Return value

If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.

If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

Remarks

To read the owner, group, or DACL from the kernel object's security descriptor, the calling process must have been granted READ_CONTROL access when the handle was opened. To get READ_CONTROL access, the caller must be the owner of the object or the object's DACL must grant the access.

To read the SACL from the security descriptor, the calling process must have been granted ACCESS_SYSTEM_SECURITY access when the handle was opened. The proper way to get this access is to enable the SE_SECURITY_NAME privilege in the caller's current token, open the handle for ACCESS_SYSTEM_SECURITY access, and then disable the privilege.

Requirements

Requirement Value
Minimum supported client Windows XP [desktop apps | UWP apps]
Minimum supported server Windows Server 2003 [desktop apps | UWP apps]
Target Platform Windows
Header securitybaseapi.h (include Windows.h)
Library Advapi32.lib
DLL Advapi32.dll

See also

GetFileSecurity

GetPrivateObjectSecurity

GetUserObjectSecurity

Low-level Access Control

Low-level Access Control Functions

SECURITY_DESCRIPTOR

SECURITY_INFORMATION

SetKernelObjectSecurity