Performance counter throws SecurityException

Question

This is the code:

    private static void CreateCounter()
    {
        if (PerformanceCounterCategory.Exists("DemoCategory"))
            PerformanceCounterCategory.Delete("DemoCategory");

        CounterCreationDataCollection ccdArray = new CounterCreationDataCollection();

        CounterCreationData ccd = new CounterCreationData();
        ccd.CounterName = "RequestsPerSecond";
        ccd.CounterType = PerformanceCounterType.NumberOfItems32;
        ccd.CounterHelp = "Requests per second";
        ccdArray.Add(ccd);

        PerformanceCounterCategory.Create("DemoCategory", "Demo category",
            PerformanceCounterCategoryType.SingleInstance, ccdArray);

        Console.WriteLine("Press any key, to start use the counter");
    }

Obviously:

PerformanceCounterCategory.Create("DemoCategory", "Demo category", 
     PerformanceCounterCategoryType.SingleInstance, ccdArray);

is the line where the exception was thrown.

I have read about PerformanceCounterPermission, what should I do exactly?

Modify your application's manifest such that the `requestedExecutionLevel` is set to `requireAdministrator`. — Cody Gray - on strike, Jan 24 '12 at 05:19
You're welcome. Added a full answer (now that I'm no longer on a phone!) so you can accept it and close the question. — Cody Gray - on strike, Jan 27 '12 at 20:34

score 6 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 27 '12 at 20:34

Your application's process does not have the appropriate privilege level. That's what the security exception is telling you.

The simple fix is to request that permission when your application starts. You can do this by modifying your application's manifest such that the requestedExecutionLevel is set to requireAdministrator.

The complete section added to your application's manifest will look something like this:

<!-- Identify the application security requirements. -->
<trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2">
  <security>
    <requestedPrivileges>
      <requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false" />
    </requestedPrivileges>
  </security>
</trustInfo>

There are potentially better alternatives if your application does not otherwise require administrative privileges, because you should always run at the lowest privilege level that is absolutely necessary or required. You can investigate these alternatives using Google; it's going to involve spinning off a separate process that requests UAC elevation and runs the performance counter when requested explicitly by the user.

Performance counter throws SecurityException

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