Microsoft Access file (.mdb)
.mdb file signature | application/x-msaccess
Microsoft Access Database (MDB) is a proprietary database file format created by Microsoft for use with Microsoft Access and the Jet database engine. It is used to store tables, queries, forms, reports, and other application data in small to medium-sized desktop database applications. The format is largely legacy, having been superseded by newer Access database formats, and files from untrusted sources should still be handled carefully because they may contain macros or embedded code.
Magic Bytes
Offset 0
00 01 00 00 53 74 61 6E 64 61 72 64 20 4A 65 74 20 44 42
Sources: Wikipedia, Gary Kessler, Neil Harvey FileSignatures
All Known Signatures
3 signature variants are documented for .mdb files across multiple sources.
| Hex Signature | Offset | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 00 01 00 00 53 74 61 6E 64 61 72 64 20 4A 65 74 20 44 42 | 0 | Wikipedia, Gary Kessler, Neil Harvey FileSignatures |
| 00 01 00 00 53 74 61 6E | 0 | Apache Tika |
| 00 01 00 00 53 74 61 6E 64 61 72 64 20 41 43 45 20 44 42 | 0 | Neil Harvey FileSignatures |
Extension
.mdb
MIME Type
application/x-msaccess
Byte Offset
0
Risk Level
Safe
Validation Code
How to validate .mdb files in Python
def is_mdb(file_path: str) -> bool:
"""Check if file is a valid MDB by magic bytes."""
signature = bytes([0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x53, 0x74, 0x61, 0x6E, 0x64, 0x61, 0x72, 0x64, 0x20, 0x4A, 0x65, 0x74, 0x20, 0x44, 0x42])
with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
return f.read(19) == signatureHow to validate .mdb files in Node.js
function isMDB(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
const signature = Buffer.from([0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x53, 0x74, 0x61, 0x6E, 0x64, 0x61, 0x72, 0x64, 0x20, 0x4A, 0x65, 0x74, 0x20, 0x44, 0x42]);
return buffer.subarray(0, 19).equals(signature);
}How to validate .mdb files in Go
func IsMDB(data []byte) bool {
signature := []byte{0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x53, 0x74, 0x61, 0x6E, 0x64, 0x61, 0x72, 0x64, 0x20, 0x4A, 0x65, 0x74, 0x20, 0x44, 0x42}
if len(data) < 19 {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(data[:19], signature)
}API Endpoint
/api/v1/mdb
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/mdb
See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.
Related Formats
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .mdb file?
A .mdb file is a Microsoft Access file file. Microsoft Access Database (MDB) is a proprietary database file format created by Microsoft for use with Microsoft Access and the Jet database engine. It is used to store tables, queries, forms, reports, and other application data in small to medium-sized desktop database applications. The format is largely legacy, having been superseded by newer Access database formats, and files from untrusted sources should still be handled carefully because they may contain macros or embedded code.
What are the magic bytes for .mdb files?
The magic bytes for Microsoft Access file files are 00 01 00 00 53 74 61 6E 64 61 72 64 20 4A 65 74 20 44 42 at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.
How do I validate a .mdb file?
To validate a .mdb file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (00 01 00 00 53 74 61 6E 64 61 72 64 20 4A 65 74 20 44 42) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.
What is the MIME type for .mdb files?
The primary MIME type for .mdb files is application/x-msaccess.
Is it safe to open .mdb files?
Microsoft Access file (.mdb) 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.