Unpack Files to memory and then run them (like thinstall)

[Nemok]

Hi, Is it possible in anyway to load a file into memory and then run it from there? I am working on a file compressor (www.nemokprod.go.ro/nb.htm) that can compress and encrypt and save multiple files as an exe file that can then run the compressed files after unpacking them to a temp folder. The problem is that I have to unpack the files to the hard-disk and then run them from there, making them vulnerable to user that may try to get the original (unprotected) files. So the user shouldn't have access to the file operations in the background. So I need to keep the original unpacked files hidden from the user, until after they are opened by the unpacker and then deleted. So users should have no kind of access to the files (should not see them, open them, should not be able to modify or copy them) but the unpacker should be able to run them. (that is why I think that the memory is the best solution) So is there any way to protect them, like unpacking them directly to memory and then run them from there? Something like a virtual disk in memory? Thanks. Nemok

[David Crow]

This has been asked many times before but an answer is still 'unknown.' If you unpacked the files to disk, could you not use an obscure name like a GUID rather than something like mysecretfile.exe?

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"Take only what you need and leave the land as you found it." - Native American Proverb

[Nemok]

Yes but using a FileMonitor like the one from SysInternals it is very easy to find out what files is the app working with. Nemok

[David Crow]

True, but if the name were not obvious, would the person know what to do with it even if they managed to make a copy of it?

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"Take only what you need and leave the land as you found it." - Native American Proverb

[Chris Losinger]

a little Googling is enough to convince me that it is not a simple task. you might take a look at UPX (available from sourceforge). i think it can do this. Cleek | Image Toolkits | Thumbnail maker

[BadKarma]

Hi, It is possible to load a binary, executable block of raw data into memory and link a function to it. So you could call that 'extra' function from your code without any problem. Maybe this is what you need ?? But to load an entire file into memory and to run it that is something different. codito ergo sum

[Nemok]

Actually yes I need to load an entire file and run it. Any ideas? Nemok

[Nemok]

Yes but I need some more fail proof than that. Nemok

[Joel Lucsy]

Are you looking to just load dlls, or run the actual exe from memory? I've been working on virtual files system similar to thinstall, but am far from finishing. However, I do have some code that will load a dll from memory with certain limitations. Just depends on what you exact needs are. -- Joel Lucsy