Token.exe -

Launching a new cmd.exe or powershell.exe process using the impersonated token to gain high-level access. Detection and Mitigation

Disclaimer: This write-up is for educational and defensive security purposes only. token.exe

The primary purpose of token manipulation tools is privilege escalation. By duplicating a token from a higher-privilege process (like a SYSTEM service), an attacker can escalate privileges. Primary vs. Impersonation: Launching a new cmd

Associated with a process; defines security context. token.exe

Listing available tokens on the system to identify privileged processes (e.g., those running as NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM).

Used by threads to allow a service to act on behalf of a client.

Tools often use DuplicateTokenEx to take a process token and convert it into a thread impersonation token. Key Components of Windows Tokens