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This guide aims to clarify the correct use and management of Windows impersonation tokens in software development.

July 29, 2026Open Access

Handling Windows Impersonation Tokens Correctly — Borrowing Privileges per Thread and Reverting Safely (archived 2026-07-27)

Key Points

This guide aims to clarify the correct use and management of Windows impersonation tokens in software development.
Reviewed various types of Windows impersonation tokens, including primary and thread tokens.
Explained the roles of impersonation levels and functions like RevertToSelf.
Provided practical examples and code snippets using .NET's WindowsIdentity.RunImpersonated.
Detailed strategies for safe implementation of impersonation tokens in real-world applications.
Highlighted potential pitfalls in handling impersonation levels and tokens.
Illustrated the importance of reverting safely after privilege borrowing.

Abstract

A practical guide to Windows impersonation tokens — access tokens, primary tokens, thread tokens, impersonation levels, RevertToSelf, and .NET's WindowsIdentity.RunImpersonated — and how to handle them safely in real systems. Archived version of https://comcomponent.com/en/blog/2026/06/09/002-windows-impersonation-token/, as published on 2026-07-27. The live article is maintained and may change after this date. First published 2026-06-09.

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