Resource Interchange File Format -- Compact Disc DigitalAudio (.cda)
.cda file signature | application/octet-stream
Resource Interchange File Format (RIFF) is a multimedia container format developed by Microsoft and IBM for structured storage of audio, video, and related data. It has been used for Compact Disc Digital Audio track entries and other legacy media workflows, particularly in Windows-based applications and disc authoring tools. The format is longstanding and largely legacy; as a small pointer file, it contains limited data and is generally considered safe to open.
Magic Bytes
Offset 0
52 49 46 46
Sources: Wikipedia
All Known Signatures
3 signature variants are documented for .cda files across multiple sources.
| Hex Signature | Offset | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 52 49 46 46 | 0 | Wikipedia |
| 43 44 44 41 | 0 | Wikipedia |
| 52 49 46 46 43 44 44 41 66 6D 74 20 | 0 | Gary Kessler |
Extension
.cda
MIME Type
application/octet-stream
Byte Offset
0
Risk Level
Safe
Validation Code
How to validate .cda files in Python
def is_cda(file_path: str) -> bool:
"""Check if file is a valid CDA by magic bytes."""
signature = bytes([0x52, 0x49, 0x46, 0x46])
with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
return f.read(4) == signatureHow to validate .cda files in Node.js
function isCDA(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
const signature = Buffer.from([0x52, 0x49, 0x46, 0x46]);
return buffer.subarray(0, 4).equals(signature);
}How to validate .cda files in Go
func IsCDA(data []byte) bool {
signature := []byte{0x52, 0x49, 0x46, 0x46}
if len(data) < 4 {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(data[:4], signature)
}API Endpoint
/api/v1/cda
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/cda
See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.
Related Formats
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .cda file?
A .cda file is a Resource Interchange File Format -- Compact Disc DigitalAudio file. Resource Interchange File Format (RIFF) is a multimedia container format developed by Microsoft and IBM for structured storage of audio, video, and related data. It has been used for Compact Disc Digital Audio track entries and other legacy media workflows, particularly in Windows-based applications and disc authoring tools. The format is longstanding and largely legacy; as a small pointer file, it contains limited data and is generally considered safe to open.
What are the magic bytes for .cda files?
The magic bytes for Resource Interchange File Format -- Compact Disc DigitalAudio files are 52 49 46 46 at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.
How do I validate a .cda file?
To validate a .cda file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (52 49 46 46) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.
What is the MIME type for .cda files?
There is no officially registered MIME type for .cda files. Systems typically use application/octet-stream as a generic fallback when handling this format.
Is it safe to open .cda files?
Resource Interchange File Format -- Compact Disc DigitalAudio (.cda) files are generally safe to open. They are classified as low risk because they primarily contain data rather than executable code. However, always ensure files come from a trusted source.