Compiling with script encryption key

The export dialog gives you the option to encrypt your scripts with a 256-bit AES key when releasing your project. This will make sure your scripts are not stored in plain text and can not easily be ripped by some script kiddie. Of course, the key needs to be stored in the binary, but if it’s compiled, optimized and without symbols, it would take some effort to find it. For this to work, you need to build the export templates from source, with that same key. Warning not work if you use official, precompiled export templates. It is absolutely required to compile your own export templates to use PCK encryption.

Step by step

  1. this service. OpenSSL command-line tools:
  1. openssl rand -hex 32 > godot.gdkey

godot.gdkey should be similar to:

  1. # NOTE: Do not use the key below! Generate your own key instead.aeb1bc56aaf580cc31784e9c41551e9ed976ecba10d315db591e749f3f64890f

You can generate the key without redirecting the output to a file, but that way you can minimize the risk of exposing the key.

  1. Set this key as environment variable in the console that you will use to compile Godot, like this: Linux/macOSWindows (cmd)Windows (PowerShell)
  1. export SCRIPT_AES256_ENCRYPTION_KEY="your_generated_key"
  1. set SCRIPT_AES256_ENCRYPTION_KEY=your_generated_key
  1. $env:SCRIPT_AES256_ENCRYPTION_KEY="your_generated_key"
  1. Compile Godot export templates and set them as custom export templates in the export preset options.
  2. Script tab of the export preset: 5.

    Troubleshooting

    If you get an error like below, it means the key wasn’t properly included in your Godot build. Godot is encrypting the scripts during export, but can’t read them at runtime.
    1. ERROR: open_and_parse: Condition "String::md5(md5.digest) != String::md5(md5d)" is true. Returning: ERR_FILE_CORRUPT   At: core/io/file_access_encrypted.cpp:103ERROR: load_byte_code: Condition ' err ' is true. returned: err   At: modules/gdscript/gdscript.cpp:755ERROR: load: Condition ' err != OK ' is true. returned: RES()   At: modules/gdscript/gdscript.cpp:2135ERROR: Failed loading resource: res://Node2D.gde   At: core/io/resource_loader.cpp:279ERROR: poll: res://Node2D.tscn:3 - Parse Error: [ext_resource] referenced nonexistent resource at: res://Node2D.gd   At: scene/resources/scene_format_text.cpp:439ERROR: load: Condition ' err != OK ' is true. returned: RES()   At: core/io/resource_loader.cpp:202ERROR: Failed loading resource: res://Node2D.tscn   At: core/io/resource_loader.cpp:279ERROR: Failed loading scene: res://Node2D.tscn   At: main/main.cpp:1727WARNING: cleanup: ObjectDB Instances still exist!     At: core/object.cpp:2081ERROR: clear: Resources Still in use at Exit!   At: core/resource.cpp:425