AdjustTokenPrivileges

AdjustTokenPrivileges is a function in the Windows API used to enable or disable privileges for a given access token. An access token is a security descriptor that identifies a user or process and contains information about its security attributes. Privileges are special rights granted to users or groups that allow them to perform specific system-related operations.

This function allows a calling process to modify the state of privileges within an access token. It takes a handle to the token, a pointer to a structure containing the privileges to be adjusted, and the size of that structure. The function can be used to grant or revoke privileges. For example, a program might use AdjustTokenPrivileges to obtain the SeDebugPrivilege, which allows it to debug other processes.

The modification of privileges is a sensitive operation. The calling process must have the SeSecurityPrivilege to modify the privileges of another process's token. If the calling process attempts to modify its own token, it must have the SeTcbPrivilege. The function returns TRUE if the operation is successful and FALSE otherwise. Error information can be retrieved using GetLastError. Understanding and correctly using AdjustTokenPrivileges is crucial for implementing fine-grained security controls in Windows applications.