What is "wpkg"

wpkg was created as a clone of dpkg that would run under the Microsoft Windows operating system. dpkg is used to build, install, remove, and provide information about .deb packages.

As time passed, wpkg has evolved to include complex package distribution management similar to the APT suite on the front end side as well as development and repository management on the back end side.

Although a "wpkg" Debian package is provided for Microsoft Windows (and Linux), the main intent was to offer a ready to use executable: wpkg.exe, so one does not have to recompile wpkg before being able to use it to install Debian packages under Microsoft Windows. The different "wpkg" Debian packages will be of interest to programmers who want to painlessly deal with Debian packages as it includes the libdebpackages library. This library includes nearly all the capabilities that the wpkg tool offers.

WPKG is a server-based software package designed to allow the deployment of software and other packages to networked Microsoft Windows computers based on a set of rules, without end user intervention. As such, the program aims to make the administration of networked computers easier for the administrator, allowing security patches, new programs and updates to be installed on the connected computers without having to physically visit each computer.

WPKG is open-source software licensed under the GPL.

In April 2015, Chinese users started to report that they are being redirected to the WPKG.org website via DNS hijacking. Redirected traffic was from sites that contained Facebook (which is blocked in China) links on pages. It is still not clear who was behind the redirection (it is a common belief that the event is caused by the Chinese government and the Great Firewall) and what is the purpose of choosing wpkg.org as a destination yet. As of July 2015 more and more websites besides Facebook getting affected. These websites are so various in content that it is hard to find a scheme behind.