GetFileSecurity

GetFileSecurity

The GetFileSecurity function obtains specified information about the security of a file or directory. The information obtained is constrained by the caller's access rights and privileges.

BOOL GetFileSecurity(

LPCTSTR lpFileName,	// address of string for file name
SECURITY_INFORMATION RequestedInformation,	// requested information
PSECURITY_DESCRIPTOR pSecurityDescriptor,	// address of security descriptor
DWORD nLength,	// size of security descriptor buffer
LPDWORD lpnLengthNeeded	// address of required size of buffer
);

Parameters

lpFileName

Points to a null-terminated string specifying the file or directory for which security information is retrieved.

RequestedInformation

Specifies a SECURITY_INFORMATION structure that identifies the security information being requested.

pSecurityDescriptor

Points to a buffer that receives a copy of the security descriptor of the object specified by the lpFileName parameter. The calling process must have the right to view the specified aspects of the object's security status. The SECURITY_DESCRIPTOR structure is returned in self-relative format.

nLength

Specifies the size, in bytes, of the buffer pointed to by the pSecurityDescriptor parameter.

lpnLengthNeeded

Points to a variable the function sets to zero if the file descriptor is copied successfully. If the buffer is too small for the security descriptor, this variable receives the number of bytes required. If this variable's value is greater than that of the nLength parameter when the function returns, none of the security descriptor is copied to the buffer.

Return Values

If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.

If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

Remarks

To read the security descriptor of a file or directory, the calling process must have READ_CONTROL access or be the owner of the file or directory.

To read the system access-control list (SACL) of a file or directory, the SE_SECURITY_NAME privilege must be enabled for the calling process.