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STATUS_INVALID_HANDLE
The object handle is invalid in the current handle context
A Windows handle is resolved through a process handle table and is meaningful only in the context where it was obtained or explicitly duplicated or inherited. STATUS_INVALID_HANDLE can therefore indicate a stale closed handle, a value from another process, an uninitialized field, or a pseudo handle used with an API that does not accept it.
Record the raw handle value, process ID, object type expected by the API and the point where ownership changes. Handle reuse makes delayed bugs difficult: after CloseHandle, the same numeric value can later identify another object. Do not validate a handle by comparing it with NULL alone; preserve lifetime and duplication events.
What to inspect
- Trace handle creation, duplication, inheritance, and close operations.
- Confirm the API accepts the actual object type and any pseudo-handle form.
- Investigate use-after-close and cross-process handle transfer before retrying.
References
- Microsoft: CloseHandle
- System Informer PHNT: Object Manager Native API
- Microsoft Open Specifications: NTSTATUS values
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