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PAX password protected bitmap (.pax)

.pax file signature | application/octet-stream

PAX password protected bitmap

Safe

Magic Bytes

Offset 0
50 41 58

Sources: Gary Kessler

Extension

.pax

MIME Type

application/octet-stream

Byte Offset

0

Risk Level

Safe

Validation Code

How to validate .pax files in Python

Python 
def is_pax(file_path: str) -> bool:
    """Check if file is a valid PAX by magic bytes."""
    signature = bytes([0x50, 0x41, 0x58])
    with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
        return f.read(3) == signature

How to validate .pax files in Node.js

Node.js 
function isPAX(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
  const signature = Buffer.from([0x50, 0x41, 0x58]);
  return buffer.subarray(0, 3).equals(signature);
}

How to validate .pax files in Go

Go 
func IsPAX(data []byte) bool {
    signature := []byte{0x50, 0x41, 0x58}
    if len(data) < 3 {
        return false
    }
    return bytes.Equal(data[:3], signature)
}

API Endpoint

GET /api/v1/pax
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/pax

See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a .pax file?

A .pax file is a PAX password protected bitmap file. PAX password protected bitmap

What are the magic bytes for .pax files?

The magic bytes for PAX password protected bitmap files are 50 41 58 at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.

How do I validate a .pax file?

To validate a .pax file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (50 41 58) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.

What is the MIME type for .pax files?

There is no officially registered MIME type for .pax files. Systems typically use application/octet-stream as a generic fallback when handling this format.

Is it safe to open .pax files?

PAX password protected bitmap (.pax) 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.