Execute CustomAction as a particular user

[computerquip-work]

Per the title, I need to perform an action during setup as a particular user. Is that possible? I know that I can run commands either as the installing user or as LocalSystem but this doesn't work for me. I unfortunately need to run something as a particular service user for setup. The service user is a managed virtual account created along with the service which complicates it even further as I can't just invoke a runas command as far as I understand.

[bevanweiss]

I don't believe this is possible in the Windows world.
There are three service account types (excluding a normal user account being used, not recommended)

• Standalone managed service accounts
• Group-managed service accounts
• Virtual accounts

The first two options require Windows Server, and some setup (normally using PowerShell). The last 'Virtual Accounts' is tied specifically to the name of a Service (configured in the Windows Services list). Nothing else can authenticate as this account. Only the appropriately named service (it does a Service Name -> SID mapping using a SHA1 hash and fixed prefix apparently... so I guess a hash collision could occur)
https://www.1e.com/blogs/accounts-everywhere-part-1/

The other two options should be possible. But I don't think a plain Virtual Account can be impersonated (at least not without excessive weirdness.. finding the SID, creating a service with a name to force that SID collision (which might even be prevented with Windows OS refusing to create a service with a conflicting SID to an existing service).... blurgh.