decrypting…# ✨ Magic Bytes 🎉 #CS Magic bytes are unique identifiers at the beginning of a file that indicate the file type to systems and applications. These bytes are crucial in file format recognition and are often used by software to determine how to interpret the contents of a file. Here's a comprehensive list of common magic bytes along with descriptions of the file types they represent: #### **JPEG Image** - Magic Bytes: `FF D8 FF` - Description: Standard format for photographic image files. - Extension: `.jpg`, `.jpeg` #### **PNG Image** - Magic Bytes: `89 50 4E 47 0D 0A 1A 0A` - Description: Portable Network Graphics for lossless data compression. - Extension: `.png` #### **GIF Image** - Magic Bytes: `47 49 46 38 37 61` or `47 49 46 38 39 61` - Description: Graphics Interchange Format for images and animations. - Extension: `.gif` #### **ZIP Archive** - Magic Bytes: `50 4B 03 04` - Description: Common archive format for compression and packaging. - Extension: `.zip` #### **PDF Document** - Magic Bytes: `25 50 44 46` - Description: Portable Document Format for documents exchange. - Extension: `.pdf` #### **ELF Executable** - Magic Bytes: `7F 45 4C 46` - Description: Executable and Linkable Format for Unix and Linux systems. - Extension: `.elf` #### **PE Executable (Windows)** - Magic Bytes: `4D 5A` - Description: Portable Executable format for Windows executables and DLLs. - Extension: `.exe`, `.dll` #### **RAR Archive** - Magic Bytes: `52 61 72 21 1A 07 00` - Description: RAR archive format for data compression and archiving. - Extension: `.rar` #### **MP3 Audio** - Magic Bytes: `FF FB` - Description: MPEG-1 Audio Layer III or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III. - Extension: `.mp3` #### **WAV Audio** - Magic Bytes: `52 49 46 46 xxxx 57 41 56 45` - Description: Waveform Audio File Format for raw and typically uncompressed audio. - Extension: `.wav` #### **SQLite Database** - Magic Bytes: `53 51 4C 69 74 65 20 66 6F 72 6D 61 74 20 33 00` - Description: Database file for the SQLite database engine. - Extension: `.sqlite`, `.db` #### **BMP Image** - Magic Bytes: `42 4D` - Description: Bitmap image file, a raster graphics image file format. - Extension: `.bmp` #### **AVI Video** - Magic Bytes: `52 49 46 46 xxxx 41 56 49 20` - Description: Audio Video Interleave file, stores video and audio data. - Extension: `.avi` #### **PSD Image (Photoshop)** - Magic Bytes: `38 42 50 53` - Description: Photoshop Document format, supports layers and other complex imaging options. - Extension: `.psd` #### **MIDI Audio** - Magic Bytes: `4D 54 68 64` - Description: Musical Instrument Digital Interface file for sequencing music. - Extension: `.mid`, `.midi` #### **Mach-O Binary (macOS)** - Magic Bytes: `FE ED FA CE` or `FE ED FA CF` - Description: Mach Object file format for executables, object code, shared libraries, and core dumps. - Extension: `.macho` #### **ISO Image** - Magic Bytes: `43 44 30 30 31` - Description: ISO 9660 disk image format for storing data on CD-ROMs. - Extension: `.iso` #### **TAR Archive** - Magic Bytes: `75 73 74 61 72` (position 257) - Description: Tape Archive format for files archiving. - Extension: `.tar` #### **7Z Archive** - Magic Bytes: `37 7A BC AF 27 1C` - Description: 7-Zip archive format known for high compression ratios. - Extension: `.7z` #### **FLV Video** - Magic Bytes: `46 4C 56 01` - Description: Flash Video format used to deliver digital video content. - Extension: `.flv` #### **OGG Media** - Magic Bytes: `4F 67 67 53` - Description: Ogg, a free, open container format supporting a variety of multimedia. - Extension: `.ogg`, `.oga`, `.ogv` #### **TIFF Image** - Magic Bytes: `49 49 2A 00` or `4D 4D 00 2A` - Description: Tagged Image File Format, for storing raster graphics images. - Extension: `.tiff`, `.tif` #### **Apple QuickTime Movie** - Magic Bytes: `00 00 00 14 66 74 79 70 71 74 20 20` - Description: Multimedia container format used by QuickTime for video and other types of media. - Extension: `.mov`, `.qt` #### **Adobe Acrobat Document** - Magic Bytes: `25 50 44 46` - Description: Portable Document Format (PDF) used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems. - Extension: `.pdf` #### **Microsoft Office Open XML Format (DOCX, PPTX, XLSX)** - Magic Bytes: `50 4B 03 04` - Description: Modern file formats for Microsoft Office documents such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, using ZIP compression for smaller file sizes. - Extension: `.docx`, `.pptx`, `.xlsx` ##### **Audio Video Interleave (AVI)** - Magic Bytes: `52 49 46 46 xxxx 41 56 49 20` - Description: Multimedia container format introduced by Microsoft as part of its Video for Windows technology. - Extension: `.avi` #### **MPEG Transport Stream (TS)** - Magic Bytes: `47 40 11 10` - Description: Standard format for transmission and storage of audio, video, and Program and System Information Protocol (PSIP) data. - Extension: `.ts` #### **OpenEXR Image** - Magic Bytes: `76 2F 31 01` - Description: High dynamic range (HDR) image file format developed by Industrial Light & Magic for use in computer imaging applications. - Extension: `.exr` #### **Waveform Audio File Format (WAV)** - Magic Bytes: `52 49 46 46 xxxx 57 41 56 45` - Description: Audio file format standard for storing an audio bitstream on PCs. - Extension: `.wav` #### **Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC)** - Magic Bytes: `66 4C 61 43 00 00 00 22` - Description: Audio format for lossless compression of digital audio. - Extension: `.flac` #### **PostScript File** - Magic Bytes: `25 21` - Description: Page description language in the electronic and desktop publishing areas. - Extension: `.ps` #### **AutoCAD Drawing** - Magic Bytes: `41 43 31 30` - Description: Format for storing two-dimensional and three-dimensional design data and metadata. - Extension: `.dwg` #### **Kodak Photo CD Image** - Magic Bytes: `80 0A 5F D7` - Description: File format for storing photographic images on a CD, used by Kodak's photo CD system. - Extension: `.pcd` #### **Unix Archive (AR)** - Magic Bytes: `21 3C 61 72 63 68 3E` - Description: File format used to store multiple files, supported by Unix-like systems. - Extension: `.ar` #### **Executable and Linkable Format (ELF)** - Magic Bytes: `7F 45 4C 46` - Description: Common standard file format for executables, object code, shared libraries, and core dumps. - Extension: `.elf` #### **Animated Cursor (ANI)** - Magic Bytes: `52 49 46 46 xxxx 41 43 4F 4E` - Description: File format for animated mouse cursors on Windows. - Extension: `.ani` #### **Microsoft Cabinet File** - Magic Bytes: `4D 53 43 46` - Description: Microsoft installation archive format used to store installation data. - Extension: `.cab` #### **Red Hat Package Manager (RPM)** - Magic Bytes: `ed ab ee db` - Description: Package management system primarily used on Linux operating systems. - Extension: `.rpm` #### **Windows Media Audio/Video File** - Magic Bytes: `30 26 B2 75 8E 66 CF 11` - Description: Formats developed by Microsoft for storing audio and video information. - Extension: `.wmv`, `.wma` #### **Ogg Vorbis Codec Compressed Multimedia File** - Magic Bytes: `4F 67 67 53` - Description: Open, patent-free multimedia compression format. - Extension: `.ogg` #### **Real Media File** - Magic Bytes: `.rm` - Description: Multimedia container format created by RealNetworks. - Extension: `2E 52 4D 46` #### **Photoshop Document (PSD)** - Magic Bytes: `38 42 50 53` - Description: Adobe Photoshop file format that supports layers and other advanced editing options. - Extension: `.psd` #### **VMware Virtual Disk File (VMDK)** - Magic Bytes: `4B 44 4D` - Description: File format that describes containers for virtual hard disk drives to be used in VMware virtual machines. - Extension: `.vmdk` #### **Apple Disk Image (DMG)** - Magic Bytes: `78 01 73 0D 62 62 60` - Description: Mountable disk image created by macOS systems, used for distributing software over the internet. - Extension: `.dmg` #### **BitTorrent File** - Magic Bytes: `64 38 3A 61 6E 6E 6F 75 6E 63 65` - Description: Metadata file containing information for BitTorrent clients about a download, such as tracker URLs and file structure. - Extension: `.torrent` #### **Debian Package File** - Magic Bytes: `21 3C 61 72 63 68 3E` - Description: Software package format used by Debian and its derivatives. - Extension: `.deb` #### **Windows Shortcut File** - Magic Bytes: `4C 00 00 00 01 14 02 00` - Description: File used by Windows as a shortcut to an original file, executable, or program. - Extension: `.lnk` #### **Quicken Data File** - Magic Bytes: `AC 9E BD 8F 00 00` - Description: File format used by Quicken personal finance software for storing financial data. - Extension: `.qdf` #### **Compiled Java Class File** - Magic Bytes: `CA FE BA BE` - Description: Binary format for compiled classes and interfaces in Java. - Extension: `.class` #### **Google Chrome Extension** - Magic Bytes: `50 4B 03 04` - Description: ZIP-based archive format used by Google Chrome for extension files. - Extension: `.crx` #### **Microsoft Compiled HTML Help File** - Magic Bytes: `49 54 53 46` - Description: Compiled HTML file format used by Microsoft for help files. - Extension: `.chm` #### **Outlook Personal Folder File (PST)** - Magic Bytes: `21 42 44 4E` - Description: File format used by Microsoft Outlook for storing email, calendar, and other personal information. - Extension: `.pst` #### **Microsoft Windows Media Photo File** - Magic Bytes: `49 49 BC` - Description: File format for still images, which was developed by Microsoft under the name HD Photo and later rebranded as JPEG XR. - Extension: `.wdp`, `.hdp` #### **DirectDraw Surface (DDS)** - Magic Bytes: `44 44 53 20` - Description: Image file format used for storing textures and cubic environment maps, both compressed and uncompressed, for use in applications running DirectX. - Extension: `.dds` #### **Perl Script File** - Magic Bytes: None specific; often starts with `#!` followed by the path to a Perl interpreter - Description: Script file written in Perl programming language, commonly used for CGI scripts on web servers. - Extension: `.pl` #### **Python Bytecode File** - Magic Bytes: `33 0D 0D 0A` and a version-specific series of bytes - Description: Compiled bytecode files generated by Python, containing instructions for the Python virtual machine. - Extension: `.pyc` #### **Unix/Linux Shell Script** - Magic Bytes: None specific; often starts with `#!` followed by the path to a shell (e.g., `/bin/bash`) - Description: Script file for Unix or Linux shells, used for automating tasks via command line. - Extension: `.sh` #### **Adobe InDesign Document** - Magic Bytes: `06 06 ED F5 D8 1D 46 E5 BD 31 EF E7 FE 74 B7 1D` - Description: File format used by Adobe InDesign for desktop publishing. - Extension: `.indd` #### **Microsoft Access Database** - Magic Bytes: `00 01 00 00 53 74 61 6E 64 61 72 64 20 4A 65 74` - Description: File format used by Microsoft Access to store its database structure and entries. - Extension: `.mdb` #### **Adobe Illustrator File** - Magic Bytes: `%PDF` (Earlier versions), `52 49 46 46` followed by `41 49 43 42` for newer versions - Description: Vector graphics file format developed and used by Adobe Illustrator. - Extension: `.ai` #### **Macromedia Flash (SWF)** - Magic Bytes: `43 57 53` or `46 57 53` - Description: File format for animations that were created with Adobe Flash (formerly Macromedia Flash). - Extension: `.swf` #### **Microsoft Visio Drawing File** - Magic Bytes: `D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1` (for older formats), newer versions use the MS Office XML formats. - Description: File format used by Microsoft Visio, a diagramming and vector graphics application. - Extension: `.vsd`, `.vsdx` #### **MP4 Video File** - Magic Bytes: `00 00 00 18 66 74 79 70 69 73 6F 6D` - Description: Multimedia container format standard used to store video, audio, and other data such as subtitles and still images. - Extension: `.mp4` #### **Advanced Systems Format (ASF)** - Magic Bytes: `30 26 B2 75 8E 66 CF 11` - Description: Digital audio/video container format developed by Microsoft which serves as the basis for Windows Media Audio and Video. - Extension: `.asf`, `.wma`, `.wmv` #### **Waveform Audio File Format (WAV)** - Magic Bytes: `52 49 46 46 xxxx 57 41 56 45` - Description: Audio file format for storing an audio bitstream on PCs. - Extension: `.wav` #### **Animated Portable Network Graphics (APNG)** - Magic Bytes: `89 50 4E 47 0D 0A 1A 0A` followed by the sequence that identifies it as APNG - Description: Extension to the Portable Network Graphics (PNG) format that allows animated images that work similarly to GIF files. - Extension: `.apng` #### **Extensible Markup Language (XML)** - Magic Bytes: None specific, typically starts with `<?xml version="1.0"?>` - Description: Markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. - Extension: `.xml` #### **Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)** - Magic Bytes: None specific, but files start with an XML declaration and often contain the `<svg>` tag near the beginning. - Description: XML-based vector image format for two-dimensional graphics with support for interactivity and animation. - Extension: `.svg` #### **Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)** - Magic Bytes: None specific, but files typically contain `<!DOCTYPE html>` or `<html>` near the beginning. - Description: Standard markup language for documents designed to be displayed in a web browser. - Extension: `.html`, `.htm` #### **QuickBooks Backup File** - Magic Bytes: `45 86 00 00 06 00` - Description: Backup file created by QuickBooks software, used for archiving financial data. - Extension: `.qbb` #### **Open Document Text (ODT)** - Magic Bytes: `50 4B 03 04` (Embedded in a ZIP-compressed structure) - Description: Open document format for office applications to store text documents. - Extension: `.odt` #### **Luke Mckeever FileType** - Magic Bytes: `69 69 69 69 69 69 69 69 69 69` - Description: You have found the secret hidden within the Cyber_Vault. Give the extension you have found to the author to receive your prize - Extension: `.yolo` #### **Open Document Spreadsheet (ODS)** - Magic Bytes: `50 4B 03 04` (Embedded in a ZIP-compressed structure) - Description: Open document format for office applications to store spreadsheets. - Extension: `.ods` #### **Open Document Presentation (ODP)** - Magic Bytes: `50 4B 03 04` (Embedded in a ZIP-compressed structure) - Description: Open document format for office applications to store presentations. - Extension: `.odp` #### **Executable File (Unix/Linux)** - Magic Bytes: `7F 45 4C 46` - Description: Executable file format used in Unix/Linux environments. - Extension: `.bin`, `.elf` #### **MPEG Video File** - Magic Bytes: `00 00 01 BA` - Description: Standard format for MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 video and audio compression. - Extension: `.mpg`, `.mpeg` #### **Portable Executable File (Windows)** - Magic Bytes: `4D 5A` - Description: File format for executables, object codes, and DLLs in Microsoft Windows. - Extension: `.exe`, `.dll` #### **Linux/Unix Tarball Compressed with Gzip** - Magic Bytes: `1F 8B` - Description: File format used for file compression and archiving, which combines tarball format and gzip compression. - Extension: `.tar.gz`, `.tgz` #### **Apple Lossless Audio Codec File (ALAC)** - Magic Bytes: `66 72 65 65 61 6C 61 63` - Description: Audio codec developed by Apple Inc. for lossless data compression of digital music. - Extension: `.m4a` #### **Encapsulated PostScript File (EPS)** - Magic Bytes: `%!PS-Adobe-` - Description: Graphics file format used by Adobe systems for PostScript documents that can include both text and graphics. - Extension: `.eps` #### **Adobe Encore DVD Project File** - Magic Bytes: `45 4E 43 32` (for version 2), varies with version - Description: Project file used by Adobe Encore to create professional DVDs, containing menus, navigation, slideshows, and more. - Extension: `.ncor` #### **UNIX TAR Archive** - Magic Bytes: `75 73 74 61 72 20 20 00` (at offset 257) - Description: Archive file format that combines several files into one, preserving file system information and file structure. - Extension: `.tar` #### **AutoCAD DXF File** - Magic Bytes: `41 75 74 6F 43 41 44 20 46 6F 72 6D 61 74 20 41 53 43 49 49` - Description: CAD data file format developed by Autodesk for enabling data interoperability between AutoCAD and other programs. - Extension: `.dxf`