Windows Vista event log file magic bytes (.evtx)
.evtx file signature: 45 6C 66 46 69 6C 65 | application/octet-stream
Windows Vista event log file (EVTX) is a Windows event logging format developed and maintained by Microsoft for the Windows operating system. It is used to store system, security, application, and audit events for review in Event Viewer and related administrative tools. Event log files are generally safe to open, but they may contain sensitive operational data, and older logs are sometimes used in forensic and incident response investigations.
Magic Bytes
Offset 0
45 6C 66 46 69 6C 65
Sources: Wikipedia
All Known Signatures
2 signature variants are documented for .evtx files across multiple sources.
| Hex Signature | Offset | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 45 6C 66 46 69 6C 65 | 0 | Wikipedia |
| 45 6C 66 46 69 6C 65 00 | 0 | Gary Kessler |
Validation Code
How to validate .evtx files in Python
def is_evtx(file_path: str) -> bool:
"""Check if file is a valid EVTX by magic bytes."""
signature = bytes([0x45, 0x6C, 0x66, 0x46, 0x69, 0x6C, 0x65])
with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
return f.read(7) == signatureHow to validate .evtx files in Node.js
function isEVTX(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
const signature = Buffer.from([0x45, 0x6C, 0x66, 0x46, 0x69, 0x6C, 0x65]);
return buffer.subarray(0, 7).equals(signature);
}How to validate .evtx files in Go
func IsEVTX(data []byte) bool {
signature := []byte{0x45, 0x6C, 0x66, 0x46, 0x69, 0x6C, 0x65}
if len(data) < 7 {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(data[:7], signature)
}API Endpoint
/api/v1/evtx
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/evtx
See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .evtx file?
A .evtx file is a Windows Vista event log file. Windows Vista event log file (EVTX) is a Windows event logging format developed and maintained by Microsoft for the Windows operating system. It is used to store system, security, application, and audit events for review in Event Viewer and related administrative tools. Event log files are generally safe to open, but they may contain sensitive operational data, and older logs are sometimes used in forensic and incident response investigations.
What are the magic bytes for .evtx files?
The magic bytes for Windows Vista event log file (.evtx) files are 45 6C 66 46 69 6C 65 at byte offset 0. These bytes identify the file format more reliably than the extension alone.
How do I validate a .evtx file?
To validate a .evtx file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (45 6C 66 46 69 6C 65) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.
What is the MIME type for .evtx files?
There is no officially registered MIME type for .evtx files. Systems typically use application/octet-stream as a generic fallback when handling this format.
Is it safe to open .evtx files?
Windows Vista event log file (.evtx) 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.