public interface IPrincipal {
// Public Instance Properties
   public IIdentity Identity{get; }
// Public Instance Methods
   public bool IsInRole(string role);
}

This interface defines the functionality that all principal classes must implement. An IPrincipal object is associated with a thread running in the .NET runtime to represent the user on whose behalf the managed code is running. An IPrincipal object is a container for an IIdentity, which represents the active user, and a set of role names of which the user is a member.

The read-only Identity property returns the IIdentity object contained in the IPrincipal. The full set of roles for the contained identity is not accessible. It is only possible to test the set of roles to see if it contains a specific value using the IsInRole( ) method.

Implemented By

GenericPrincipal, WindowsPrincipal

Returned By

System.Threading.Thread.CurrentPrincipal

Passed To

System.AppDomain.SetThreadPrincipal( ), System.Threading.Thread.CurrentPrincipal