Certified Incident Handler (CIH) Practice Ecam

Which free tool provides details about Windows executable files and identifies signatures of multiple packers?

1. PEiD

2. ExifTool

3. CFF Explorer

4. IDA Pro

The correct answer is: PEiD

PEiD is a specialized tool designed for analyzing Windows executable files, particularly to detect packers, cryptors, and compilers associated with those files. It achieves this by examining the structure of executable files and comparing them against a database of known signatures from various packers. This capability is essential for incident handlers who need to quickly assess the nature of potentially malicious files, as many malware authors use packers to obfuscate their code and evade detection. PEiD's effectiveness lies in its lightweight, user-friendly interface and its focus on the specific attributes of Windows executables. It is particularly favored in malware analysis for its speed and reliability in identifying how a file has been packed or compressed, which is vital for understanding the potential behaviors of malware. While ExifTool is excellent for metadata analysis in image and media files, CFF Explorer is more suited for examining the structure of PE (Portable Executable) files without specifically focusing on packer signatures. IDA Pro is an advanced disassembly tool used primarily for reverse engineering, which is more complex and feature-rich than what is necessary for simple packer identification. Therefore, PEiD stands out in this context as the most appropriate tool for the defined task.