How to remotely log off a user?

Question

How can I programatically log off a user remotely (from another machine) with C#? All I know is their username. This is done in an Active Directory environment where the account executing this would be an Administrator (Domain Admin). I assume that security would be handled. Would want to avoid having to install an application on the machine.

There does seem to be an API although I do not know what it uses, as "logoff.exe" provided with windows provides for this capability. In the end I can use this, but would prefer to avoid a Process.Start call and relying on it (plus it doesn't take the username, just the session id).

Answer 1

Take a look at this ServerRemoteControl.

Answer 2

This is more terminal server side of user management but I really like using Cassia

---

Another option is do this

System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("shutdown.exe", String.Format(@"/l /f /m \\{1}", remoteComputerName));

/l is logoff. /f is force. /m \\computername is the name of the remote computer to do the operation on. If you are not on a domain and the user running the app does not have domain admin rights I can not guarantee the above command will work.

---

Third option: get PsExec then run the shutdown command with it on the remote computer(shutdown.exe /l /f)

Answer 3

WMI class win32_operatingsystem wmi might be useful, more specifically win32shutdown method (has logoff flag too).

Answer 4

I believe you can do so through WMI. Here is a site with a regular script to do it: http://www.waynezim.com/2009/04/remote-shutdown-logoff-script-using-wmi/

And this link ( http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/csharpgeneral/thread/59dd345d-df85-4128-8641-f01f01583194 )

gives more information that is specific to C# plus a hint on how to make it work when the user is disconnected, but still logged in.