Skip to content

VBScript Encoded script (.vbe)

.vbe file signature | application/octet-stream

VBScript Encoded Script (VBE) is a Microsoft file format used to store obfuscated VBScript code for the Windows Script Host environment. It is used for distributing scripts in automation, administration, and legacy web or system tasks while reducing casual inspection of source code. Because it is commonly associated with malware and other malicious scripts, many security tools treat VBE files as high risk, and the format is considered legacy.

High

Magic Bytes

Offset 0
23 40 7E 5E

Sources: Wikipedia, Gary Kessler

Extension

.vbe

MIME Type

application/octet-stream

Byte Offset

0

Risk Level

High

Validation Code

How to validate .vbe files in Python

Python 
def is_vbe(file_path: str) -> bool:
    """Check if file is a valid VBE by magic bytes."""
    signature = bytes([0x23, 0x40, 0x7E, 0x5E])
    with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
        return f.read(4) == signature

How to validate .vbe files in Node.js

Node.js 
function isVBE(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
  const signature = Buffer.from([0x23, 0x40, 0x7E, 0x5E]);
  return buffer.subarray(0, 4).equals(signature);
}

How to validate .vbe files in Go

Go 
func IsVBE(data []byte) bool {
    signature := []byte{0x23, 0x40, 0x7E, 0x5E}
    if len(data) < 4 {
        return false
    }
    return bytes.Equal(data[:4], signature)
}

API Endpoint

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

See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a .vbe file?

A .vbe file is a VBScript Encoded script file. VBScript Encoded Script (VBE) is a Microsoft file format used to store obfuscated VBScript code for the Windows Script Host environment. It is used for distributing scripts in automation, administration, and legacy web or system tasks while reducing casual inspection of source code. Because it is commonly associated with malware and other malicious scripts, many security tools treat VBE files as high risk, and the format is considered legacy.

What are the magic bytes for .vbe files?

The magic bytes for VBScript Encoded script files are 23 40 7E 5E at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.

How do I validate a .vbe file?

To validate a .vbe file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (23 40 7E 5E) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.

What is the MIME type for .vbe files?

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

Is it safe to open .vbe files?

VBScript Encoded script (.vbe) files are high risk because they can contain executable code. Never open .vbe files from untrusted sources. Always scan with antivirus software, verify the source, and consider running in a sandboxed environment.