Windows IPC, or Windows interprocess communication, is the set of mechanisms that let applications and services exchange data and coordinate actions on the same system. Common IPC channels include named pipes, RPC, COM, shared memory, sockets, and mailslots. These channels are essential for normal Windows operation because services often rely on them to receive requests, return results, and share state without exposing a network port.
In security, IPC matters because a local communication path can cross a privilege boundary. If a low-privilege process can connect to a service that runs as SYSTEM or another privileged account, the IPC endpoint becomes an attack surface. Defenders should check access controls, verify the caller’s identity, authorize each command, and validate all inputs. Hardening IPC reduces the risk of abuse such as unauthorized actions, data leakage, or privilege escalation. In practice, many Windows attacks and defenses focus on whether an IPC channel trusts callers too broadly.