TFS API Part 29 – TFS Impersonation

• Download Example

What is TFS Impersonation?

TFS Impersonation is a feature that was introduced in TFS 2010 in order to allow a process running as User A to make web service calls to TFS in such a way that TFS thinks the actions are being performed by User B.

A long time ago I wrote about Access Token With C#, a method that will allow you to perform actions with a different user.

Why? when writing Tools and services for customers one of the most important features is to perform the action with the right user. Let’s say I want to run a service that for each Work Item Save action you want to add value to a field – this action is very simple but the history will show two actions from two different users, the user who run the service did the action instead of the user who saved the work item.

And I can find couple more actions the Impersonation can help us with.

Download Example

Step 1: Create Project and Add Reference

Create an WPF/WinForm application and add the following references:

• using Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client;
• using Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Framework.Client;
• using Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Framework.Common;
• using Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Server;

All files located under - c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE\ReferenceAssemblies\v2.0\

Step 2: Connect to Team Foundation Server

(TFS API Part 20: Bye TeamFoundationServer and Welcome TfsTeamProjectCollection)

TfsTeamProjectCollection tfs;
TeamProjectPicker tpp = new TeamProjectPicker(TeamProjectPickerMode.NoProject, false);
tpp.ShowDialog();
 
if (tpp.SelectedTeamProjectCollection != null)
{
    tfs = tpp.SelectedTeamProjectCollection;
    ims = tfs.GetService<IIdentityManagementService>();
 
    GetUsers();
    GetAuthenticatedIdentity(tfs);
}

Step 3: GetUsers & GetAuthenticatedIdentity

I’ve created the following methods to make things easier, GetUsers will allow you to pick the user to Impersonate from the List instead of writing Account Names etc… and GetAuthenticatedIdentity will display the user running the TfsTeamProjectCollection object.

/// <summary>
/// Gets all window users from the "Project Collection Valid Users" group
/// </summary>
void GetUsers()
{
    IGroupSecurityService gss = (IGroupSecurityService)tfs.GetService(
       typeof(IGroupSecurityService));
    Identity SIDS = gss.ReadIdentity(SearchFactor.AccountName, 
       "Project Collection Valid Users", QueryMembership.Expanded);
    Identity[] UserId = gss.ReadIdentities(SearchFactor.Sid,
        SIDS.Members,QueryMembership.Expanded);
 
    var query = from s in UserId
                where s.Type == IdentityType.WindowsUser
                select s;
 
    UsersList.ItemsSource = query;
}

/// <summary>
/// Gets the Authorized Identity from the current TFS connection object
/// </summary>
/// <param name="current_tfs">latest tfs connection object</param>
void GetAuthenticatedIdentity(TfsTeamProjectCollection current_tfs)
{
    try
    {
        txt_current_user.Text = current_tfs.AuthorizedIdentity.DisplayName;
    }
    catch (AccessCheckException ex)
    {
        //By default, the Administrators group does not have the 
        //“Make requests on behalf of others” permission
        throw new AccessCheckException(ex.Message);
    }
}

Step 4: Impersonate

/// <summary>
/// Impersonation - Creates new instance of TfsTeamProjectCollection object
/// using a different user;
/// </summary>
/// <param name="serverUri">Tfs server uri you want to connect using Impersonation</param>
/// <param name="userToImpersonate">Account name of the user you want to Impersonate</param>
public void Impersonation(Uri serverUri,string userToImpersonate)
{
    // Read out the identity of the user we want to impersonate
    TeamFoundationIdentity identity = ims.ReadIdentity(IdentitySearchFactor.AccountName, 
        userToImpersonate,
        MembershipQuery.None, 
        ReadIdentityOptions.None);
 
    tfs_impersonated = new TfsTeamProjectCollection(serverUri, identity.Descriptor);
 
    GetAuthenticatedIdentity(tfs_impersonated);
}

Step 5: Enable “Make requests on behalf of others”

If you run the code right now – it will fail!

By default, the Administrators group does not have the “Make requests on behalf of others” permission.  

To Enable Impersonate run the following command: tfssecurity.exe /collection:http://localhost:8080/tfs/DefaultCollection /a+ Server FrameworkGlobalSecurity Impersonate adm: ALLOW

After running the command you should see “Make requests on behalf of others” enabled.

To Disable Impersonate run the following command:

tfssecurity.exe /collection:http://localhost:8080/tfs/DefaultCollection /a- Server FrameworkGlobalSecurity Impersonate adm: ALLOW

Now, after enabling Impersonation you can use this tool:

Tfs object is now running using “Local Service”

Enjoy

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Microsoft Public License (Ms-PL)