Packers/Crypters/Protectors

Freeware packers

UPX by Laszlo & Markus. 30.XII.2000.
1.03 Win32. 1.03 Dos1.20 Linux.

News:
- improved compression ratio a little bit
- overall significantly faster compression
- much faster when using high compression levels like `-9' or `--best'
- much faster with large files
- atari/tos: added support for FreeMiNT
- the 32-bit DOS version now uses the new CWSDSTUB extender

- excellent compression ratio.
- very fast decompression: about 10 MB/sec on a P133.
- no memory overhead for your compressed executables.
- safe: you can list, test and unpack your executables.
- universal: supports dos/exe, dos/sys, dos/com, djgpp2/coff, watcom/le (DOS4G, PMODE/W, DOS32a and CauseWay), win32/pe, rtm32/pe, tmt/adam.
- portable: UPX is written in portable endian-neutral C++.
- extensible: because of the class layout it's very easy to add new executable types or new compression algorithms.
- free: distributed with full source code under the GNU General Public License (GPL).

PE-PaCK by ANAKiN. 12.I.1999.
PE-PaCK v1.0 (15K).

Quote: I have compared PEPACK to all the other PE packers I know off: PETITE, PECRYPT, WWPACK32, SHRINKER, STNPEE... And I can proudly say, that PEPACK beats up all of them.

PE Diminisher by tERAPHY. 11.IX.1999.
PE Diminisher v0.1 (11K).

PE Diminisher is a simple PE packer. Just run it, open the file you want to pack, and select Encrypt File! This software was written in learning purpose only. Nice GUI.

Related links:
- Unpackers.

Commercial packers

PECompact by Jeremy Collake. 12.XII.2000.
PE Compact 1.43 (355K).

News:
- Fixed problem with compression of executables compiled with Watcom's C/C++ compiler.
- Other minor bug fixes.

PECompact is a utility that compresses Windows 9x/NT4/w2k executables, while leaving them 100% functional. PECompact compresses the code, data, selected resources, import/export table of a win32 executable and optimizes its structure. It then installs a symbiont which decompresses the executable at run-time without any noticeable speed difference. Load time can actually be improved in some cases because less data has to be retrieved from the disk.

PEBundle by Jeremy Collake. 24.XI.2000.
PEBundle 1.01.

PEBundle physically attaches DLL(s) to an executable, resolving dependencies in memory and therefore removing the requirement of the DLL image(s) to be distributed with the executable, or exist as a separate physical image. PEBundle does NOT write attached DLLs to disk, but handles API dependencies transparently in memory with virtually no extra memory usage over the normal requirement for the EXE+DLL, except in the special case of, what would have been, a shared DLL module.

AS-Pack (shareware) by Solodovnikov Alexey. 05.X.2000.
AS-Pack 2.11. ASPatch 1.21 (23K) - patcher for ASPacked files by Chafe.

News:
- Minor bugs fixed.
- /U command line option added (compress sub-directories).

ASPack is an advanced Win32 executable file compressor, capable of reducing the file size of 32-bit Windows programs by as much as 70%. (ASPack's compression ratio improves upon the industry-standrad zip file format by as much as 10-20%.) ASPack makes Windows 95/98/NT programs and libraries smaller, and decrease load times across networks, and download times from the internet; it also protects programs against reverse engineering by non-professional hackers. Programs compressed with ASPack are self-contained and run exactly as before, with no runtime performance penalties.

Petite (shareware) by Ian Luck. 17.XII.1999.
Petite 2.2 (108K).

News:
- GUI version
- "-r**" compress all but 1st icon option
- "-s" strip relocations option
- "-m" mangle imports option
- A few more improvements/fixes

Petite is a Windows 9x/NT executable (EXE/DLL/etc...) compressor. It allows compression of the whole executable - code, data and resources. Petite automatically decides which parts of the executable can be compressed and which parts need to be left as they are. The compressed output executable can be run as if it was the original uncompressed file.

NeoLite (shareware) by NeoWorx Inc. 04.IV.1999.
NeoLite 2.0. EVC Nag remover (4K).

NeoLite compresses Windows 32-bit .EXE files and DLLs. It compresses them in such a manner that they are still executed normally. No additional software is required to run the compressed software, it is completely transparent. There is no speed penalty incurred.

Shrinker (demo) by Blinkinc. 03.II.1999.
Shrinker 3.3. UCF's Nag remover (144K).

Shrinker will take almost any 16 or 32 bit Windows .exe, .dll, .dpl, .drv or .ocx file or any real mode DOS .exe file and transparently compress it. Compression ratios will vary from file to file, but many files will compress by 70% or more.

PKLite32 (shareware) by PKWare. 9.VI.1999.
PKLite32 1.1.

PKLITE32 may be used to reduce the size of any Windows 32 bit Portable Executable (i.e. PE) "Image" file. The PE file format is based on the Common Object File Format (i.e. COFF) and is the primary Windows 32-bit executable file format. In addition to executable files, PKLITE32 will compress Dynamic Link Library (i.e. .DLL) files, OLE Custom Control (i.e. .OCX) files, or any PE based file type.

WWPack 32 by Piotr Warezak. 07.VII.2000.
WWPack32 1.20.

News:
- relocation table stripper
- resources compressor
- command line parameters
- new SETUP window design

WWPack32 will save you disk space and it will also protect your programs from cracking. WWPack32 will reduce traffic over local computer networks (compressed files run faster on the net)!

Crunch by BitArts. 01.II.2000.
Crunch 4.0.

Crunch allows you to reduce your EXE's, DLL's, OCX's and screensavers by up to 70% and still run as normal. Crunch introduces powerful compression and encryption that hides your real program code from hex editors etc. Crunch'ed files can be distributed without need for additional files or dependencies.

Fusion by BitArts. 01.II.2000.
Fusion 2.0.

Ever imagined a VB program requiring no VB runtimes ? Fusion links in all runtime dependencies and even OCX's to create a single standalone executable. Compression reduces the overall application footprint and encryption of your program code adds further security. Works with all Windows 32-bit exe/dll/ocx and screen savers.

Related links:
- Unpackers.

Freeware Crypters/Protectors

PECRYPT32 by random, killa and acpizer. 12.I.1999.
PECRYPT32 1.02 (98K).

- Code, Data, Resource, Relocation, Import Encryption.
- Code, Data, Resource, Relocation, Import Compression.
- Enhanced Relocation Loader.
- Anti-Debugging compatible with Windows NT , Windows 95 and Windows 98.
- Dynamic Link Library support (DLL files).
- Routines against memory patches / loaders.
- Anti-API-Breakpoint routines.
- Detection of nude supermodels sitting in front of the monitor.
- A (hopefully) working Import-Loader.
- Anti-Unpacking procedures.
- Lame Heuristic Virus File Check.

CodeCrypt by defiler. 27.IV.2000.
CodeCrypt 0.164 (7K).

News:
- a few bugixes
- changed encryption

- anti-debugging code.
- anti-tracer code (procdump etc).
- encryption of the decrypter.
- random number encryption system.
- multiple checksum encryption.
- bogus opcodes, making it harder to reverse the decrypter.
- anti procdump-dump-trick
- anti-frogsice code

tElock by tHE EGOiSTE. 13.XII.2000.
tElock 0.60 (40K).

News:
- some minor bugs fixed.
- slightly improved dump protection.

Little PE-Compressor/Encryptor with anti-ProcDump and -SoftICE. Has been tested on Win9x, NT, ME and 2K.

PEncrypt by JunkCode. 03.VIII.2002.
PEncrypt 4.0(phi) (16K).

News:
- Multi Layer Encryptor for the Decryptor
- SoftICE, ICEDump Detection code. Crashes the OS in case it is found in memory
- Anti ICEDump's /TRACEX command
- ...

Win9x compatible. Includes anti-debugging, anti-tracing routines.

yoda's Crypter by yoda. 13.XII.2000.
yoda's Crypter 1.0 (6K).

- Softice detection
- Erase PE Header
- CRC checking
- delete API/Dll names and the ImageImportDescriptors @ runtime

NFO by bart. 17.III.2000.
NFO 1.0 (7K).

- import table handling
- resources support
- relocation wiping
- anti api debug
- anti-W32dsm
- exception handling(SEH)
- cannot be loaded using Loader.exe from SoftIce
- mulitlayer encryption support

PeX by bart. 15.VIII.2000.
PeX 0.99 (46K).

- code,data,import compression(based on APLIB v0.26b by Joergen Ibsen)&encryption
- new technique was developed to increase compression ratio
- protection against cracking&reverse engeenering
- bpx protection
- import table handling
- advanced import table protection
- ...

PCPEC "alpha - preview" by The+Q, Plushmm & MrNop. 12.I.1999.
PCPEC (100K).

This release of PCPEC may be considered an alpha or "preview" of what is to come from the Phrozen Crew. This project was an output of our interest in the Win32 PE header structure. As such, we used this opportunity to do some research and perform some coding...and viola! PCPEC is born ;-)

PE-SHiELD by ANAKiN [DaVinci]. 03.II.2000.
PE-SHiELD v0.25 (32K).

- Fixed a few little bugs on request and added some AD stuff.

PE-SHiELD is a program, which encrypts 32-bit Windows EXE files, leaving them still executable. The previous version was over a year in the wild and there is still no unpacker for it.

PELOCKnt by :MARQUIS:DE:SOIRÐE: 12.I.1999.
PELOCKnt v2.04 (105K).

- Protect any Windows 32-bit Portable EXE & DLL file, leaving it executable.
- Full support for Windows NT4, NT5, W95, W98 and SoftIce.
- Crypting EXE & DLL files up to 64 MB in seconds.
- 32-bit Virus protection.
- Protecting all PE.objects against reverse engineering or patching.
- Integrated ImportTableLoader support imports by name and ordinal.
- Integrated RelocationTableLoader supports any imagebase.
- Up to 50% faster 32-bit crypting compared to the former version.
- BPX protection.
- Generic API.Hook protection.
- Generic File.Tracer protection.
- Support for EXE files with Export Directory Table.
- TLS (Thread Local Storage) auto handling.
- Hiding .object names.
- DAR DLL.Auto.Recognition
- APC Anti.Procdump.Code
- User.options to protect any crypted file against SICE and NTICE.
- Generic 32-bit CRC selfprotection against viruses, file manipulations, or decrypting errors. If the CRC32 check fails PELOCKnt will display a window and than close the protected program to prevent a datalost. A General Protection Fault INSIDE PELOCKnt is almost impossible.

PE-PROTECT by Christoph Gabler. 12.I.1999.
PE-PROTECT 0.9 beta (28K).

- Protected files run fast
- Many internal random encryptions
- Object encryption layers are inbuild-antidebugged
- Entrypoint faking
- Multiple CRC checking
- Simple Code Caving
- Damn unreliable in protecting ;)

PE-Encrypter by Stone. 12.I.1999.
PE-Encrypter 2.0 (61K).

- Compression
- Dll support
- Import support
- Relocation support
- Full ASM sourcecode
- Build on aPlib (c) Jibz

VGCrypt by Virogen. 26.I.1999.
VGCrypt 0.75 beta (16K).

- three types of PE parasticality
- full win95/98/NT compliant
- does not add new object unless you want to
- stores correct new checksum of PE executable
- preserves original file data/time and attributes
- you can encrypt a file as many times as you want.

PE password protector by SMT. 10.II.2000.
PE password protector (19K).

This tool can protect your PE-executables with password. Password is not stored in file, only signature. It is recommended to protect your files with any PE-crypt after adding password. 100% coded in ASM.

NoodleCrypt by NoodleSpa. 07.XII.2000.
NoodleCrypt 2 (18K).

- Win9x compatible.
- Anti ProcDump full dump features
- Anti API hooks
- Code and import sections encryption
- ...

LameCrpyt by LaZaRus. 09.I.2000.
LameCrpyt 1.00 alpha (13K).

This is surely the lamest EXE Cryptor that was ever developed. In this very early stage it does nothing but crypt the first section of the PE header (whatever it it) with the genuine XOR 90 method. Let's hope this gets better when newer versions are released.
btw: seems to crash under WinNT

Related links:
- Decrypters, unlockers, deprotectors.

Commercial Crypters/Protectors

PC Guard for Win32 (shareware) by Blagoje Ceklic. 31.V.2000.
PC Guard for Win32 v3.03.

PC Guard for Win32 is a professional software protection and licensing system. With PC Guard for Win32 you can easily protect Windows 95/98/NT 32bit EXE/DLL applications from illegal distribution and reverse engineering . Even more, you don't need any source code editing or programming experience for this. Everything is fully automatic!

Armadillo by Silicon Realms Toolworks. 24.XI.2000.
Armadillo 1.84.

Armadillo is a powerful software protection system. It wraps around your program like an armored shell, defending your work from pirates and program crackers with state-of-the-art encryption, data compression, and other security features. It allows you to design and add a complete software protection and registration-key system to your existing programs in five minutes or less, with no changes to your program's code! And it works with any language that produces a 32-bit Windows EXE file.

ASProtect by Solodovnikov Alexey. 06.X.2000.
ASProtect 1.1 (701K).

ASProtect - the system of software protection of applications, designed for quick implementation of application protection functions, especially targeted for shareware authors. ASProtect is designed for such specific tasks as working with registration keys and creation of evaluation and trial application versions.

ELFCrypt by JunkCode. 20.III.2002.
Ding Boy's ELFCrypt 1.0 (5K).

It's supposed to encrypt the .code section (.text, in most cases) and decrypts itself at run-time.

Related links:
- Decrypters, unlockers, deprotectors.