Example of run an interactive process on the current user from system service on windows (Golang)

main.go

package main

import (
	"github.com/kardianos/service"
	"log"
	"flag"
)

type Service struct {}

var logger service.Logger

func (*Service) Start(_ service.Service) error {
	if err := StartProcessAsCurrentUser("notepad.exe", "", ""); err != nil {
		return err
	}

	return nil
}

func (*Service) Stop(_ service.Service) error {
	return nil
}

var serviceFlag = flag.String("service", "", "Control the service")

func main() {
	svcConfig := &service.Config{
		Name:        "RunAsUserTest",
		DisplayName: "Run As User Test",
		Description: "Service to test launching programs as user from service",
	}

	svc := &Service{}
	s, err := service.New(svc, svcConfig)
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	flag.Parse()
	if *serviceFlag != "" {
		if err := service.Control(s, *serviceFlag); err != nil {
			log.Fatal(err)
		}

		return
	}

	logger, err = s.Logger(nil)
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}

	err = s.Run()
	if err != nil {
		logger.Error(err)
	}
}

native.go

package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"unsafe"

	"golang.org/x/sys/windows"
)

var (
	modwtsapi32 *windows.LazyDLL = windows.NewLazySystemDLL("wtsapi32.dll")
	modkernel32 *windows.LazyDLL = windows.NewLazySystemDLL("kernel32.dll")
	modadvapi32 *windows.LazyDLL = windows.NewLazySystemDLL("advapi32.dll")
	moduserenv  *windows.LazyDLL = windows.NewLazySystemDLL("userenv.dll")

	procWTSEnumerateSessionsW        *windows.LazyProc = modwtsapi32.NewProc("WTSEnumerateSessionsW")
	procWTSGetActiveConsoleSessionId *windows.LazyProc = modkernel32.NewProc("WTSGetActiveConsoleSessionId")
	procWTSQueryUserToken            *windows.LazyProc = modwtsapi32.NewProc("WTSQueryUserToken")
	procDuplicateTokenEx             *windows.LazyProc = modadvapi32.NewProc("DuplicateTokenEx")
	procCreateEnvironmentBlock       *windows.LazyProc = moduserenv.NewProc("CreateEnvironmentBlock")
	procCreateProcessAsUser          *windows.LazyProc = modadvapi32.NewProc("CreateProcessAsUserW")
)

const (
	WTS_CURRENT_SERVER_HANDLE uintptr = 0
)

type WTS_CONNECTSTATE_CLASS int

const (
	WTSActive WTS_CONNECTSTATE_CLASS = iota
	WTSConnected
	WTSConnectQuery
	WTSShadow
	WTSDisconnected
	WTSIdle
	WTSListen
	WTSReset
	WTSDown
	WTSInit
)

type SECURITY_IMPERSONATION_LEVEL int

const (
	SecurityAnonymous SECURITY_IMPERSONATION_LEVEL = iota
	SecurityIdentification
	SecurityImpersonation
	SecurityDelegation
)

type TOKEN_TYPE int

const (
	TokenPrimary TOKEN_TYPE = iota + 1
	TokenImpersonazion
)

type SW int

const (
	SW_HIDE            SW = 0
	SW_SHOWNORMAL         = 1
	SW_NORMAL             = 1
	SW_SHOWMINIMIZED      = 2
	SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED      = 3
	SW_MAXIMIZE           = 3
	SW_SHOWNOACTIVATE     = 4
	SW_SHOW               = 5
	SW_MINIMIZE           = 6
	SW_SHOWMINNOACTIVE    = 7
	SW_SHOWNA             = 8
	SW_RESTORE            = 9
	SW_SHOWDEFAULT        = 10
	SW_MAX                = 1
)

type WTS_SESSION_INFO struct {
	SessionID      windows.Handle
	WinStationName *uint16
	State          WTS_CONNECTSTATE_CLASS
}

const (
	CREATE_UNICODE_ENVIRONMENT uint16 = 0x00000400
	CREATE_NO_WINDOW                  = 0x08000000
	CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE                = 0x00000010
)

// GetCurrentUserSessionId will attempt to resolve
// the session ID of the user currently active on
// the system.
func GetCurrentUserSessionId() (windows.Handle, error) {
	sessionList, err := WTSEnumerateSessions()
	if err != nil {
		return 0xFFFFFFFF, fmt.Errorf("get current user session token: %s", err)
	}

	for i := range sessionList {
		if sessionList[i].State == WTSActive {
			return sessionList[i].SessionID, nil
		}
	}

	if sessionId, _, err := procWTSGetActiveConsoleSessionId.Call(); sessionId == 0xFFFFFFFF {
		return 0xFFFFFFFF, fmt.Errorf("get current user session token: call native WTSGetActiveConsoleSessionId: %s", err)
	} else {
		return windows.Handle(sessionId), nil
	}
}

// WTSEnumerateSession will call the native
// version for Windows and parse the result
// to a Golang friendly version
func WTSEnumerateSessions() ([]*WTS_SESSION_INFO, error) {
	var (
		sessionInformation windows.Handle      = windows.Handle(0)
		sessionCount       int                 = 0
		sessionList        []*WTS_SESSION_INFO = make([]*WTS_SESSION_INFO, 0)
	)

	if returnCode, _, err := procWTSEnumerateSessionsW.Call(WTS_CURRENT_SERVER_HANDLE, 0, 1, uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&sessionInformation)), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&sessionCount))); returnCode == 0 {
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("call native WTSEnumerateSessionsW: %s", err)
	}

	structSize := unsafe.Sizeof(WTS_SESSION_INFO{})
	current := uintptr(sessionInformation)
	for i := 0; i < sessionCount; i++ {
		sessionList = append(sessionList, (*WTS_SESSION_INFO)(unsafe.Pointer(current)))
		current += structSize
	}

	return sessionList, nil
}

// DuplicateUserTokenFromSessionID will attempt
// to duplicate the user token for the user logged
// into the provided session ID
func DuplicateUserTokenFromSessionID(sessionId windows.Handle) (windows.Token, error) {
	var (
		impersonationToken windows.Handle = 0
		userToken          windows.Token  = 0
	)

	if returnCode, _, err := procWTSQueryUserToken.Call(uintptr(sessionId), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&impersonationToken))); returnCode == 0 {
		return 0xFFFFFFFF, fmt.Errorf("call native WTSQueryUserToken: %s", err)
	}

	if returnCode, _, err := procDuplicateTokenEx.Call(uintptr(impersonationToken), 0, 0, uintptr(SecurityImpersonation), uintptr(TokenPrimary), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&userToken))); returnCode == 0 {
		return 0xFFFFFFFF, fmt.Errorf("call native DuplicateTokenEx: %s", err)
	}

	if err := windows.CloseHandle(impersonationToken); err != nil {
		return 0xFFFFFFFF, fmt.Errorf("close windows handle used for token duplication: %s", err)
	}

	return userToken, nil
}

func StartProcessAsCurrentUser(appPath, cmdLine, workDir string) error {
	var (
		sessionId windows.Handle
		userToken windows.Token
		envInfo   windows.Handle

		startupInfo windows.StartupInfo
		processInfo windows.ProcessInformation

		commandLine uintptr = 0
		workingDir uintptr = 0

		err error
	)

	if sessionId, err = GetCurrentUserSessionId(); err != nil {
		return err
	}

	if userToken, err = DuplicateUserTokenFromSessionID(sessionId); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("get duplicate user token for current user session: %s", err)
	}

	if returnCode, _, err := procCreateEnvironmentBlock.Call(uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&envInfo)), uintptr(userToken), 0); returnCode == 0 {
		return fmt.Errorf("create environment details for process: %s", err)
	}

	creationFlags := CREATE_UNICODE_ENVIRONMENT | CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE
	startupInfo.ShowWindow = SW_SHOW
	startupInfo.Desktop = windows.StringToUTF16Ptr("winsta0\\default")

	if len(cmdLine) > 0 {
		commandLine = uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(windows.StringToUTF16Ptr(cmdLine)))
	}
	if len(workDir) > 0 {
		workingDir = uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(windows.StringToUTF16Ptr(workDir)))
	}

	if returnCode, _, err := procCreateProcessAsUser.Call(
		uintptr(userToken), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(windows.StringToUTF16Ptr(appPath))), commandLine, 0, 0, 0,
		uintptr(creationFlags), uintptr(envInfo), workingDir, uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&startupInfo)), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&processInfo)),
	); returnCode == 0 {
		return fmt.Errorf("create process as user: %s", err)
	}

	return nil
}

@LiamHaworth Hello, I'm getting get duplicate user token for current user session: call native WTSQueryUserToken: A required privilege is not held by the client. error when I try to run StartProcessAsCurrentUser. I searched but I couldn't find anything. Do you have any idea?

@LiamHaworth Hello, I'm getting get duplicate user token for current user session: call native WTSQueryUserToken: A required privilege is not held by the client. error when I try to run StartProcessAsCurrentUser. I searched but I couldn't find anything. Do you have any idea?

It needs "SeTcbPrivilege".
I think your program must be run with LocalSystem(windows service).

@lv254165754 Thank you. I will try it again.