PE32

PE32 refers to a specific type of executable file format used on the Windows operating system. It is part of the Portable Executable (PE) file format standard, which describes the structure of files that are loadable into memory and executable by the Windows operating system. The PE format is an extension of the COFF (Common Object File Format) specification.

The PE32 format is primarily associated with 32-bit applications. This means that programs compiled for 32-bit architectures typically adhere to the PE32 structure. When a PE32 file is loaded into memory, the operating system reads its header information to understand how to load and run the program, including its code, data, and resources.

Key components of a PE32 file include the DOS header, the PE header, section headers, and the actual code and data sections. The DOS header is included for backward compatibility with MS-DOS, while the PE header contains crucial information for the Windows loader, such as the target architecture (x86 for PE32), entry point address, and import/export tables. The section headers describe the different segments of the file, like the .text section for code and the .data section for initialized data.

Understanding the PE32 format is important for reverse engineering, malware analysis, and software development tools that interact with executable files. It dictates how programs are structured and loaded, influencing aspects like memory management and execution. The introduction of 64-bit Windows systems also led to the development of PE32+ (also known as PE64), which is the corresponding format for 64-bit applications.