runtime packer

Definitions

A software tool that compresses or encrypts an executable file, which then automatically decompresses or decrypts itself into memory when executed.

A security mechanism used to obfuscate program code, often employed by malware to evade detection by antivirus software.

Examples

The malware author used a sophisticated runtime packer to obfuscate the malicious code and evade detection by antivirus software.

Reverse engineers often have to unpack the binary manually when a runtime packer is employed to protect intellectual property.

While a runtime packer can effectively compress an executable, it may also trigger false positives in security scanners due to its suspicious behavior.

Synonyms

executable compressor binary packer self-extracting archive code obfuscator software protector payload encrypter executable wrapper

Antonyms

unpacker decompressor binary extractor executable analyzer static analysis tool disassembler deobfuscator