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Protect package files

This page offers different security features for your packages and their contents. You may for instance wish to protect your files against bad downloads, illegal use...

Protect my files with this key

If you enter a key, Paquet Builder will use it to encrypt your files. This is not the best security for your files, but it is much better than a simple password. 7-Zip archives can be encrypted, so end users are not able to extract files (using some external decompression tools) without running your package. The package will have to ask end users for this key before extracting files. If they provide a bad key, the files won't be extracted and the package will consequently close.

Warning

If you use an external .7z archive file, this feature will not encrypt files contained inside this archive file. Encryption is done only when compressing files.

Store the key inside the package

Sometimes you need to password protect your files but you do not want to ask end users for the required key. This option may help you: if you enable it, Paquet Builder will store it within the package and when extracting your files, the package will use it without prompting end users. If you still want to ask end users for a password, please continue reading...

Encrypt filenames with the key above

Paquet Builder can even encrypt filenames with the key used to protect your files; it is then impossible to view the list of files that were compressed in the package, using a hexadecimal editor for instance or 7-Zip. Users will not be asked for the key: the package automatically restores filenames when decompressing files.

Ask end users for the following password

End users are required to provide the package with the password you entered in that box. If the password is wrong, then the package will exit. This feature does not encrypt files, but is useful as explained above.

Set an expiration date

If you would like to set a trial date for the package (after this date, the package expires and cannot extract its files), then just select the expiration date. After that date, packages will show an error message ("Package Expired!") and exit.

Keep in mind that this expiration date feature is not really secure as it does not perform safe date checking. This feature is actually more intended to indicate end users they should obtain a newer version of the package.

Enable package size check

This option causes the package to check its size at startup: if the package's size is different (due to bad downloads and truncated packages), it will display an error message and exit.

This option is not compatible if you want to digitally sign your package (see below).

Note

This feature is superseded by package digital signing: if you own the necessary certificates (PVK and SPC, or PFX files), Paquet Builder can sign the package to ensure your customers that the package they got was not altered and is identical to the original one.