Packaged apps (also known as Windows 8 apps) are new to Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows 8.
They are based on the new app model that ensures that all the files within an app package share the same identity. Therefore, it is possible to control the entire application using a single AppLocker rule as opposed to the non-packaged apps where each file within the app could have a unique identity. Windows does not support unsigned packaged apps which implies all packaged apps must be signed.
AppLocker supports only publisher rules for Packaged apps.
A publisher rule for a Packaged app is based on the following information:
Publisher of the package
Package name
Package version
All the files within a package as well as the package installer share these attributes.
Therefore, an AppLocker rule for a Packaged app controls both the installation as well as the running of the app. Otherwise, the publisher rules for Packaged apps are no different than the rest of the rule collections; they support exceptions, can be increased or decreased in scope, and can be assigned to users and groups.