[RESOLVED] Convert a SID to User/Group in ActiveDirectory or LocalMachine

[wrack]

Hi,

We are using Microsoft Authorization Manager (Start -> Run -> AzMan.msc). Anyways one of the store mechanism is to store things in an XML file. I need to write a utility which will analyze the file and show it's finding to the user.

It stores many things among which one is the SID of a User/Group or any object from ActiveDirectory or LocalMachine. Now that I got the SID, how do I find what type of object is it and how do I find it's properties?

I know I need to use the things from System.DirectoryServices and get things done but I am stuck at resolving what type of an object it is in the first place.

Could someone please help me out?

Cheers

[Bruce Fox]

Hi wrack; long time between drinks,

Do you mean breaking a SID down into it's components like:

EG: S-1-5-21-7623811015-3361044348-030300820-1013
S = The string is a SID.
1 = The revision level (the version of the SID specification).
5 = The identifier authority value.
21-7623811015-3361044348-030300820 = domain or local computer identifier.
1013 = a Relative ID (RID). Any group or user that is not created by default will have a Relative ID of 1000 or greater.


(groups)
S-1-5-18 = Local System, a service account that is used by the operating system.
S-1-5-19 = NT Authority, Local Service.
S-1-5-20 = NT Authority, Network Service.
S-1-5-domain-500 = A user account for the system administrator. By default, it is the only user account that is given full control over the system.

[wrack]

Hey Bruce,

Long time no see indeed. I have been busy with life and things in life!

Anyways, no I didn't meant to decode the SID but I needed to retrieve the object assigned to that SID.

It's resolved now with the help of the code below.

            try
            {
                pDirectoryEntry = new DirectoryEntry(String.Format("LDAP://<SID={0}>", ASID));
            }
            catch
            {
                return ASID;
            }

Once you have a DirectoryEntry object that is not null then you can do a lot of things with it.