Vista UAC: The Definitive Guide

Thomas Hruska

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21 Mar 2008CPOL29 min read

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Learn how UAC operates behind the scenes. Use the Elevate package to start multiple elevated processes but only display one UAC elevation dialog from a non-elevated process.

elevate_src.zip
elevate_demo.zip
- Elevate.dll
- Elevate.exe
- TestChild.exe
- TestParent.exe
elevate_binariesanddocs.zip
- Elevate.dll
- Elevate.exe
- export_types.h
- Readme.txt

// Packed data classes used to transport data.
// BStorage provides a clean, portable, and cross-platform
// data storage and transport mechanism.

class HKEY_Pack
{
public:
  HKEY_Pack();

  int Load(const BString &Data);
  int Save(BString &Result);

  BString MxTargetFunc;
  BString MxRootKey, MxSubKey;
  int MxClassExists;
  BString MxClass;
  UInt64 MxOptions, MxRegSam;
  int MxAttrExists, MxAttrInherit;
};

HKEY_Pack::HKEY_Pack()
{
  MxClassExists = 0;
  MxRegSam = 0;
  MxAttrExists = 0;
  MxAttrInherit = 0;
}

int HKEY_Pack::Load(const BString &Data)
{
  BStorage TempStorage;
  BString TempData;

  TempStorage.Load(Data);
  TempStorage.GetData(MxTargetFunc);
  TempStorage.GetData(MxRootKey);
  TempStorage.GetData(MxSubKey);
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxClassExists = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(MxClass);
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxOptions = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxRegSam = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxAttrExists = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxAttrInherit = TempData;

  return 1;
}

int HKEY_Pack::Save(BString &Result)
{
  BStorage TempStorage;

  TempStorage.SetStorageType(BStorage::StoreBlock);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxTargetFunc);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxRootKey);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxSubKey);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxClassExists);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxClass);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxOptions);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxRegSam);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxAttrExists);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxAttrInherit);
  TempStorage.Finalize();
  Result = TempStorage.Save();

  return 1;
}


class CreateProcessElevatedPack
{
public:
  class STARTUPINFO_Pack
  {
  public:
    STARTUPINFO_Pack();

    int Load(const BString &Data);
    int Save(BString &Result);

    int MxDesktopExists, MxTitleExists;
    BString MxDesktop, MxTitle;
    UInt64 MxX, MxY, MxXSize, MxYSize, MxXCountChars, MxYCountChars, MxFillAttr;
    UInt64 MxFlags;
    UInt64 MxShowWindow;
    int MxStdinExists, MxStdoutExists, MxStderrExists;
    BString MxStdin, MxStdout, MxStderr;
  };

  class SHELLEXECUTEINFO_Pack
  {
  public:
    SHELLEXECUTEINFO_Pack();

    int Load(const BString &Data);
    int Save(BString &Result);

    UInt64 MxMask;
    UInt64 MxHWnd;
    BString MxVerb;
    UInt64 MxShowWindow;
    BString MxIDList;
    BString MxClass;
    HKEY_Pack MxKeyClass;
    UInt64 MxHotkey;
    SInt64 MxMonitorPosX, MxMonitorPosY;
  };

  CreateProcessElevatedPack();

  int Load(const BString &Data);
  int Save(BString &Result);

  UInt64 MxCurrProcessID, MxCurrThreadID;
  BString MxTargetFunc;
  int MxApplicationNameExists, MxCommandLineExists;
  BString MxApplicationName, MxCommandLine;
  int MxProcAttrExists, MxProcAttrInherit;
  int MxThreadAttrExists, MxThreadAttrInherit;
  int MxInheritHandles;
  UInt64 MxCreationFlags;
  BString MxEnvironment;
  BString MxCurrDir;
  STARTUPINFO_Pack MxStartupInfo;
  SHELLEXECUTEINFO_Pack MxShellExecuteInfo;
};

CreateProcessElevatedPack::STARTUPINFO_Pack::STARTUPINFO_Pack()
{
  MxDesktopExists = 0;
  MxTitleExists = 0;
  MxX = 0;
  MxY = 0;
  MxXSize = 0;
  MxYSize = 0;
  MxXCountChars = 0;
  MxYCountChars = 0;
  MxFillAttr = 0;
  MxFlags = 0;
  MxShowWindow = 0;
  MxStdinExists = 0;
  MxStdoutExists = 0;
  MxStderrExists = 0;
}

int CreateProcessElevatedPack::STARTUPINFO_Pack::Load(const BString &Data)
{
  BStorage TempStorage;
  BString TempData;

  TempStorage.Load(Data);
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxDesktopExists = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxTitleExists = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(MxDesktop);
  TempStorage.GetData(MxTitle);
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxX = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxY = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxXSize = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxYSize = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxXCountChars = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxYCountChars = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxFillAttr = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxFlags = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxShowWindow = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxStdinExists = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxStdoutExists = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxStderrExists = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(MxStdin);
  TempStorage.GetData(MxStdout);
  TempStorage.GetData(MxStderr);

  return 1;
}

int CreateProcessElevatedPack::STARTUPINFO_Pack::Save(BString &Result)
{
  BStorage TempStorage;

  TempStorage.SetStorageType(BStorage::StoreBlock);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxDesktopExists);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxTitleExists);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxDesktop);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxTitle);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxX);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxY);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxXSize);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxYSize);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxXCountChars);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxYCountChars);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxFillAttr);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxFlags);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxShowWindow);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxStdinExists);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxStdoutExists);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxStderrExists);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxStdin);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxStdout);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxStderr);
  TempStorage.Finalize();
  Result = TempStorage.Save();

  return 1;
}


CreateProcessElevatedPack::SHELLEXECUTEINFO_Pack::SHELLEXECUTEINFO_Pack()
{
  MxMask = 0;
  MxHWnd = NULL;
  MxShowWindow = 0;
  MxHotkey = 0;
  MxMonitorPosX = 0;
  MxMonitorPosY = 0;
}

int CreateProcessElevatedPack::SHELLEXECUTEINFO_Pack::Load(const BString &Data)
{
  BStorage TempStorage;
  BString TempData;

  TempStorage.Load(Data);
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxMask = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxHWnd = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(MxVerb);
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxShowWindow = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(MxIDList);
  TempStorage.GetData(MxClass);
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxKeyClass.Load(TempData);
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxHotkey = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxMonitorPosX = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxMonitorPosY = TempData;

  return 1;
}

int CreateProcessElevatedPack::SHELLEXECUTEINFO_Pack::Save(BString &Result)
{
  BStorage TempStorage;
  BString TempData;

  TempStorage.SetStorageType(BStorage::StoreBlock);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxMask);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxHWnd);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxVerb);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxShowWindow);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxIDList);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxClass);
  MxKeyClass.Save(TempData);
  TempStorage.AddData(TempData);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxHotkey);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxMonitorPosX);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxMonitorPosY);
  TempStorage.Finalize();
  Result = TempStorage.Save();

  return 1;
}


CreateProcessElevatedPack::CreateProcessElevatedPack()
{
  MxCurrProcessID = 0;
  MxCurrThreadID = 0;
  MxApplicationNameExists = 0;
  MxCommandLineExists = 0;
  MxProcAttrExists = 0;
  MxProcAttrInherit = 0;
  MxThreadAttrExists = 0;
  MxThreadAttrInherit = 0;
  MxInheritHandles = 0;
  MxCreationFlags = 0;
}

int CreateProcessElevatedPack::Load(const BString &Data)
{
  BStorage TempStorage;
  BString TempData;

  TempStorage.Load(Data);
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxCurrProcessID = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxCurrThreadID = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(MxTargetFunc);
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxApplicationNameExists = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxCommandLineExists = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(MxApplicationName);
  TempStorage.GetData(MxCommandLine);
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxProcAttrExists = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxProcAttrInherit = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxThreadAttrExists = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxThreadAttrInherit = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxInheritHandles = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxCreationFlags = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(MxEnvironment);
  TempStorage.GetData(MxCurrDir);
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxStartupInfo.Load(TempData);
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxShellExecuteInfo.Load(TempData);

  return 1;
}

int CreateProcessElevatedPack::Save(BString &Result)
{
  BStorage TempStorage;
  BString TempData;

  TempStorage.SetStorageType(BStorage::StoreBlock);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxCurrProcessID);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxCurrThreadID);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxTargetFunc);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxApplicationNameExists);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxCommandLineExists);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxApplicationName);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxCommandLine);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxProcAttrExists);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxProcAttrInherit);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxThreadAttrExists);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxThreadAttrInherit);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxInheritHandles);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxCreationFlags);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxEnvironment);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxCurrDir);
  MxStartupInfo.Save(TempData);
  TempStorage.AddData(TempData);
  MxShellExecuteInfo.Save(TempData);
  TempStorage.AddData(TempData);
  TempStorage.Finalize();
  Result = TempStorage.Save();

  return 1;
}


class CreateProcessResultPack
{
public:
  CreateProcessResultPack();

  int Load(const BString &Data);
  int Save(BString &Result);

  int MxRetCode;
  UInt64 MxErrorCode;
  UInt64 MxProcessID, MxThreadID;
};

CreateProcessResultPack::CreateProcessResultPack()
{
  MxRetCode = 0;
  MxErrorCode = 0;
  MxProcessID = 0;
  MxThreadID = 0;
}

int CreateProcessResultPack::Load(const BString &Data)
{
  BStorage TempStorage;
  BString TempData;

  TempStorage.Load(Data);
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxRetCode = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxErrorCode = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxProcessID = TempData;
  TempStorage.GetData(TempData);
  MxThreadID = TempData;

  return 1;
}

int CreateProcessResultPack::Save(BString &Result)
{
  BStorage TempStorage;

  TempStorage.SetStorageType(BStorage::StoreBlock);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxRetCode);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxErrorCode);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxProcessID);
  TempStorage.AddData(MxThreadID);
  TempStorage.Finalize();
  Result = TempStorage.Save();

  return 1;
}

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License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)

Written By

Thomas Hruska

Web Developer

United States

Been writing software for a really long time - something like 18 years. Started on the TI/99-4A, moved to the Tandy 1000, and somehow managed to skip all the lousy hardware/software jumps (286, 386, first Pentiums, Win95, etc.)

I now run a small software business called CubicleSoft with a few products you might be interested in. VerifyMyPC and MyUpdate Toolkit are the most popular. I'm also the author of a book called "Safe C++ Design Principles".

Vista UAC: The Definitive Guide

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