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Windows/DOS executable file (.pif)

.pif file signature | application/octet-stream

High

Magic Bytes

Offset: 0
4D 5A

Windows/DOS executable file(SeeThe MZ EXE File Formatpage for the structure of an EXE file,with coverage of NE, TLINK, PE, self-extracting archives, and more.)Note:MZ are the initals of Mark Zbikowski, designer of the DOS executable file format.

Sources: Gary Kessler

Extension

.pif

MIME Type

application/octet-stream

Byte Offset

0

Risk Level

High

Validation Code

How to validate .pif files in Python

Python 
def is_pif(file_path: str) -> bool:
    """Check if file is a valid PIF by magic bytes."""
    signature = bytes([0x4D, 0x5A])
    with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
        return f.read(2) == signature

How to validate .pif files in Node.js

Node.js 
function isPIF(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
  const signature = Buffer.from([0x4D, 0x5A]);
  return buffer.subarray(0, 2).equals(signature);
}

How to validate .pif files in Go

Go 
func IsPIF(data []byte) bool {
    signature := []byte{0x4D, 0x5A}
    if len(data) < 2 {
        return false
    }
    return bytes.Equal(data[:2], signature)
}

API Endpoint

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

See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a .pif file?

A .pif file is a Windows/DOS executable file file. Windows/DOS executable file(SeeThe MZ EXE File Formatpage for the structure of an EXE file,with coverage of NE, TLINK, PE, self-extracting archives, and more.)Note:MZ are the initals of Mark Zbikowski, designer of the DOS executable file format.

What are the magic bytes for .pif files?

The magic bytes for Windows/DOS executable file files are 4D 5A at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.

How do I validate a .pif file?

To validate a .pif file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (4D 5A) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.

What is the MIME type for .pif files?

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

Is it safe to open .pif files?

Windows/DOS executable file (.pif) files are high risk because they can contain executable code. Never open .pif files from untrusted sources. Always scan with antivirus software, verify the source, and consider running in a sandboxed environment.