The cause of this is missing permission on the target process. For testing the required permission can be viewed with Process Explorer and right clicking target process and selecting Properties then Security tab and selecting Permissions button, you can add the required permission Process Query Information Allow for the user account the process calling OpenProcess is running as. Permission can also be denied due to process mandatory integrity control i.e. Medium level integrity process cannot access High integrity process. Even if the user account is added the correct permission but you do not have access due to mandatory integrity control you will get access denied.
In code this can be achieved by modifying the ACLs of the object as documented here
Here is a PowerShell script I wrote for testing different scenarios, such as adding the permission required.
$code = @'
using System;
using System.Security;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Security.AccessControl;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Runtime.ConstrainedExecution;
using System.Security.Principal;
namespace CSharp
{
public class ProcessSecurity : NativeObjectSecurity
{
public ProcessSecurity(SafeHandle processHandle)
: base(false, ResourceType.KernelObject, processHandle, AccessControlSections.Access)
{
}
public void AddAccessRule(ProcessAccessRule rule)
{
base.AddAccessRule(rule);
}
// this is not a full impl- it only supports writing DACL changes
public void SaveChanges(SafeHandle processHandle)
{
Persist(processHandle, AccessControlSections.Access);
}
public override Type AccessRightType
{
get { return typeof(ProcessAccessRights); }
}
public override AccessRule AccessRuleFactory(System.Security.Principal.IdentityReference identityReference, int accessMask, bool isInherited, InheritanceFlags inheritanceFlags, PropagationFlags propagationFlags, AccessControlType type)
{
return new ProcessAccessRule(identityReference, (ProcessAccessRights)accessMask, isInherited, inheritanceFlags, propagationFlags, type);
}
public override Type AccessRuleType
{
get { return typeof(ProcessAccessRule); }
}
public override AuditRule AuditRuleFactory(System.Security.Principal.IdentityReference identityReference, int accessMask, bool isInherited, InheritanceFlags inheritanceFlags, PropagationFlags propagationFlags, AuditFlags flags)
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
public override Type AuditRuleType
{
get { throw new NotImplementedException(); }
}
}
public class ProcessAccessRule : AccessRule
{
public ProcessAccessRule(IdentityReference identityReference, ProcessAccessRights accessMask, bool isInherited, InheritanceFlags inheritanceFlags, PropagationFlags propagationFlags, AccessControlType type)
: base(identityReference, (int)accessMask, isInherited, inheritanceFlags, propagationFlags, type)
{
}
public ProcessAccessRights ProcessAccessRights { get { return (ProcessAccessRights)AccessMask; } }
}
[Flags]
public enum ProcessAccessRights
{
STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED = (0x000F0000),
DELETE = (0x00010000), // Required to delete the object.
READ_CONTROL = (0x00020000), // Required to read information in the security descriptor for the object, not including the information in the SACL. To read or write the SACL, you must request the ACCESS_SYSTEM_SECURITY access right. For more information, see SACL Access Right.
WRITE_DAC = (0x00040000), // Required to modify the DACL in the security descriptor for the object.
WRITE_OWNER = (0x00080000), // Required to change the owner in the security descriptor for the object.
PROCESS_ALL_ACCESS = STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED | SYNCHRONIZE | 0xFFF, //All possible access rights for a process object.
PROCESS_CREATE_PROCESS = (0x0080), // Required to create a process.
PROCESS_CREATE_THREAD = (0x0002), // Required to create a thread.
PROCESS_DUP_HANDLE = (0x0040), // Required to duplicate a handle using DuplicateHandle.
PROCESS_QUERY_INFORMATION = (0x0400), // Required to retrieve certain information about a process, such as its token, exit code, and priority class (see OpenProcessToken, GetExitCodeProcess, GetPriorityClass, and IsProcessInJob).
PROCESS_QUERY_LIMITED_INFORMATION = (0x1000),
PROCESS_SET_INFORMATION = (0x0200), // Required to set certain information about a process, such as its priority class (see SetPriorityClass).
PROCESS_SET_QUOTA = (0x0100), // Required to set memory limits using SetProcessWorkingSetSize.
PROCESS_SUSPEND_RESUME = (0x0800), // Required to suspend or resume a process.
PROCESS_TERMINATE = (0x0001), // Required to terminate a process using TerminateProcess.
PROCESS_VM_OPERATION = (0x0008), // Required to perform an operation on the address space of a process (see VirtualProtectEx and WriteProcessMemory).
PROCESS_VM_READ = (0x0010), // Required to read memory in a process using ReadProcessMemory.
PROCESS_VM_WRITE = (0x0020), // Required to write to memory in a process using WriteProcessMemory.
SYNCHRONIZE = (0x00100000), // Required to wait for the process to terminate using the wait functions.
}
public static class NativeMethods
{
private const Int32 ANYSIZE_ARRAY = 0x00000001;
public const int SE_PRIVILEGE_ENABLED = 0x00000002;
//Use these for DesiredAccess
public const UInt32 STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED = 0x000F0000;
public const UInt32 STANDARD_RIGHTS_READ = 0x00020000;
public const UInt32 TOKEN_ASSIGN_PRIMARY = 0x0001;
public const UInt32 TOKEN_DUPLICATE = 0x0002;
public const UInt32 TOKEN_IMPERSONATE = 0x0004;
public const UInt32 TOKEN_QUERY = 0x0008;
public const UInt32 TOKEN_QUERY_SOURCE = 0x0010;
public const UInt32 TOKEN_ADJUST_PRIVILEGES = 0x0020;
public const UInt32 TOKEN_ADJUST_GROUPS = 0x0040;
public const UInt32 TOKEN_ADJUST_DEFAULT = 0x0080;
public const UInt32 TOKEN_ADJUST_SESSIONID = 0x0100;
public const UInt32 TOKEN_READ = (STANDARD_RIGHTS_READ | TOKEN_QUERY);
public const UInt32 TOKEN_ALL_ACCESS = (STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED | TOKEN_ASSIGN_PRIMARY |
TOKEN_DUPLICATE | TOKEN_IMPERSONATE | TOKEN_QUERY | TOKEN_QUERY_SOURCE |
TOKEN_ADJUST_PRIVILEGES | TOKEN_ADJUST_GROUPS | TOKEN_ADJUST_DEFAULT |
TOKEN_ADJUST_SESSIONID);
public enum SecurityEntity
{
SE_CREATE_TOKEN_NAME,
SE_ASSIGNPRIMARYTOKEN_NAME,
SE_LOCK_MEMORY_NAME,
SE_INCREASE_QUOTA_NAME,
SE_UNSOLICITED_INPUT_NAME,
SE_MACHINE_ACCOUNT_NAME,
SE_TCB_NAME,
SE_SECURITY_NAME,
SE_TAKE_OWNERSHIP_NAME,
SE_LOAD_DRIVER_NAME,
SE_SYSTEM_PROFILE_NAME,
SE_SYSTEMTIME_NAME,
SE_PROF_SINGLE_PROCESS_NAME,
SE_INC_BASE_PRIORITY_NAME,
SE_CREATE_PAGEFILE_NAME,
SE_CREATE_PERMANENT_NAME,
SE_BACKUP_NAME,
SE_RESTORE_NAME,
SE_SHUTDOWN_NAME,
SE_DEBUG_NAME,
SE_AUDIT_NAME,
SE_SYSTEM_ENVIRONMENT_NAME,
SE_CHANGE_NOTIFY_NAME,
SE_REMOTE_SHUTDOWN_NAME,
SE_UNDOCK_NAME,
SE_SYNC_AGENT_NAME,
SE_ENABLE_DELEGATION_NAME,
SE_MANAGE_VOLUME_NAME,
SE_IMPERSONATE_NAME,
SE_CREATE_GLOBAL_NAME,
SE_CREATE_SYMBOLIC_LINK_NAME,
SE_INC_WORKING_SET_NAME,
SE_RELABEL_NAME,
SE_TIME_ZONE_NAME,
SE_TRUSTED_CREDMAN_ACCESS_NAME
}
public static string GetSecurityEntityValue(SecurityEntity securityEntity)
{
switch (securityEntity)
{
case SecurityEntity.SE_ASSIGNPRIMARYTOKEN_NAME:
return "SeAssignPrimaryTokenPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_AUDIT_NAME:
return "SeAuditPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_BACKUP_NAME:
return "SeBackupPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_CHANGE_NOTIFY_NAME:
return "SeChangeNotifyPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_CREATE_GLOBAL_NAME:
return "SeCreateGlobalPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_CREATE_PAGEFILE_NAME:
return "SeCreatePagefilePrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_CREATE_PERMANENT_NAME:
return "SeCreatePermanentPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_CREATE_SYMBOLIC_LINK_NAME:
return "SeCreateSymbolicLinkPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_CREATE_TOKEN_NAME:
return "SeCreateTokenPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_DEBUG_NAME:
return "SeDebugPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_ENABLE_DELEGATION_NAME:
return "SeEnableDelegationPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_IMPERSONATE_NAME:
return "SeImpersonatePrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_INC_BASE_PRIORITY_NAME:
return "SeIncreaseBasePriorityPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_INCREASE_QUOTA_NAME:
return "SeIncreaseQuotaPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_INC_WORKING_SET_NAME:
return "SeIncreaseWorkingSetPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_LOAD_DRIVER_NAME:
return "SeLoadDriverPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_LOCK_MEMORY_NAME:
return "SeLockMemoryPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_MACHINE_ACCOUNT_NAME:
return "SeMachineAccountPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_MANAGE_VOLUME_NAME:
return "SeManageVolumePrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_PROF_SINGLE_PROCESS_NAME:
return "SeProfileSingleProcessPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_RELABEL_NAME:
return "SeRelabelPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_REMOTE_SHUTDOWN_NAME:
return "SeRemoteShutdownPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_RESTORE_NAME:
return "SeRestorePrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_SECURITY_NAME:
return "SeSecurityPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_SHUTDOWN_NAME:
return "SeShutdownPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_SYNC_AGENT_NAME:
return "SeSyncAgentPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_SYSTEM_ENVIRONMENT_NAME:
return "SeSystemEnvironmentPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_SYSTEM_PROFILE_NAME:
return "SeSystemProfilePrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_SYSTEMTIME_NAME:
return "SeSystemtimePrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_TAKE_OWNERSHIP_NAME:
return "SeTakeOwnershipPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_TCB_NAME:
return "SeTcbPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_TIME_ZONE_NAME:
return "SeTimeZonePrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_TRUSTED_CREDMAN_ACCESS_NAME:
return "SeTrustedCredManAccessPrivilege";
case SecurityEntity.SE_UNDOCK_NAME:
return "SeUndockPrivilege";
default:
throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException(typeof(SecurityEntity).Name);
}
}
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
public struct LUID {
public UInt32 LowPart;
public Int32 HighPart;
}
public struct TOKEN_PRIVILEGES {
public int PrivilegeCount;
[MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst=ANYSIZE_ARRAY)]
public LUID_AND_ATTRIBUTES [] Privileges;
}
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, Pack = 4)]
public struct LUID_AND_ATTRIBUTES {
public LUID Luid;
public UInt32 Attributes;
}
[Flags]
public enum ProcessAccessFlags : uint
{
All = 0x001F0FFF,
Terminate = 0x00000001,
CreateThread = 0x00000002,
VirtualMemoryOperation = 0x00000008,
VirtualMemoryRead = 0x00000010,
VirtualMemoryWrite = 0x00000020,
DuplicateHandle = 0x00000040,
CreateProcess = 0x000000080,
SetQuota = 0x00000100,
SetInformation = 0x00000200,
QueryInformation = 0x00000400,
QueryLimitedInformation = 0x00001000,
Synchronize = 0x00100000
}
[DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError=true)]
[ReliabilityContract(Consistency.WillNotCorruptState, Cer.Success)]
[SuppressUnmanagedCodeSecurity]
[return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
public static extern bool CloseHandle(IntPtr hObject);
// Use this signature if you want the previous state information returned
[DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError=true)]
[return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
public static extern bool AdjustTokenPrivileges(IntPtr TokenHandle,
[MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]bool DisableAllPrivileges,
ref TOKEN_PRIVILEGES NewState,
UInt32 BufferLengthInBytes,
ref TOKEN_PRIVILEGES PreviousState,
out UInt32 ReturnLengthInBytes);
// Use this signature if you do not want the previous state
[DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError=true)]
[return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
public static extern bool AdjustTokenPrivileges(IntPtr TokenHandle,
[MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]bool DisableAllPrivileges,
ref TOKEN_PRIVILEGES NewState,
UInt32 Zero,
IntPtr Null1,
IntPtr Null2);
[DllImport("advapi32.dll")]
public static extern bool LookupPrivilegeValue(string lpSystemName, string lpName,
ref LUID lpLuid);
[DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError=true)]
[return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
public static extern bool OpenProcessToken(IntPtr ProcessHandle,
UInt32 DesiredAccess, out IntPtr TokenHandle);
[DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
public static extern IntPtr OpenProcess(
ProcessAccessFlags processAccess,
bool bInheritHandle,
int processId
);
public static IntPtr OpenProcess(Process proc, ProcessAccessFlags flags)
{
return OpenProcess(flags, false, proc.Id);
}
}
}
'@
Add-Type -TypeDefinition $code -IgnoreWarnings
Function Enable-DebugPrivilege
{
$hToken = New-Object System.IntPtr
$luidSEDebugNameValue = New-Object CSharp.NativeMethods+LUID
$tkpPrivileges = New-Object CSharp.NativeMethods+TOKEN_PRIVILEGES
if (![CSharp.NativeMethods]::OpenProcessToken([System.Diagnostics.Process]::GetCurrentProcess().Handle, [CSharp.NativeMethods]::TOKEN_ADJUST_PRIVILEGES -bor [CSharp.NativeMethods]::TOKEN_QUERY, [ref]$hToken))
{
$win32exception = New-Object System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception([System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::GetLastWin32Error())
"OpenProcessToken Failed ERROR #$($win32exception.NativeErrorCode) HRESULT: 0x{0:X8} Message: $($win32exception.Message) " -f $($win32exception.HResult)
return
}
else
{
"OpenProcessToken SUCCESS!"
}
if (![CSharp.NativeMethods]::LookupPrivilegeValue($null, [CSharp.NativeMethods]::GetSecurityEntityValue([CSharp.NativeMethods+SecurityEntity]::SE_DEBUG_NAME), [ref]$luidSEDebugNameValue))
{
$win32exception = New-Object System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception([System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::GetLastWin32Error())
"LookupPrivilegeValue Failed ERROR #$($win32exception.NativeErrorCode) HRESULT: 0x{0:X8} Message: $($win32exception.Message) " -f $($win32exception.HResult)
return
[CSharp.NativeMethods]::CloseHandle($hToken)
return
}
else
{
"LookupPrivilegeValue() SUCCESS!"
}
$tkpPrivileges.PrivilegeCount = 1
$luid = New-Object CSharp.NativeMethods+LUID_AND_ATTRIBUTES
$luid.Luid = $luidSEDebugNameValue
$luid.Attributes = [CSharp.NativeMEthods]::SE_PRIVILEGE_ENABLED
$tkpPrivileges.Privileges = @($luid)
if (![CSharp.NativeMethods]::AdjustTokenPrivileges($hToken,$false,[ref]$tkpPrivileges, 0,[IntPtr]::Zero,[IntPtr]::Zero))
{
$win32exception = New-Object System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception([System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::GetLastWin32Error())
"AdjustTokenPriviles Failed ERROR #$($win32exception.NativeErrorCode) HRESULT: 0x{0:X8} Message: $($win32exception.Message) " -f $($win32exception.HResult)
return
[CSharp.NativeMethods]::CloseHandle($hToken)
return
}
else
{
"SeDebugPrivilege is now available!";
}
[CSharp.NativeMethods]::CloseHandle($hToken);
}
Function Open-Process($Process)
{
$hProcess = [CSharp.NativeMethods]::OpenProcess($Process,[CSharp.NativeMethods+ProcessAccessFlags]::QueryInformation)
if ($hProcess -eq 0 )
{
$win32exception = New-Object System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception([System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::GetLastWin32Error())
"ERROR #$($win32exception.NativeErrorCode) HRESULT: 0x{0:X8} Message: $($win32exception.Message) " -f $($win32exception.HResult)
}
else
{
"Handle to process $hProcess opened ok!"
}
}
Function Add-ProcessQueryInfoPermission($Process,$IdentityReference)
{
$procSec = New-Object CSharp.ProcessSecurity($Process.SafeHandle)
$accessRule = New-Object CSharp.ProcessAccessRule($IdentityReference, [CSharp.ProcessAccessRights]::PROCESS_QUERY_INFORMATION, $true, [System.Security.AccessControl.InheritanceFlags]::None, [System.Security.AccessControl.PropagationFlags]::None, [System.Security.AccessControl.AccessControlType]::Allow)
$procSec.AddAccessRule($accessRule)
$procSec.SaveChanges($Process.SafeHandle)
}
# change to hold your target process
$targetProcess = (Get-process | Where-Object { $_.Id -eq 3700 })
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement
# change for appropriate account to add
$ctx = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement.PrincipalContext([System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement.ContextType]::Machine)
$usr = [ System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement.UserPrincipal]::FindByIdentity($ctx,[System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement.IdentityType]::SamAccountName,"test")
# add process query information (This may need to be run elevated / run from different acct then open-process line depending on target process)
Add-ProcessQueryInfoPermission -Process $targetProcess -IdentityReference $usr.Sid
# test open process
Open-Process -Process $targetProcess
