VMware 4 Virtual Disk description file (.vmdk)
.vmdk file signature | application/octet-stream
VMware 3 Virtual Disk (portion of a split disk) file
Magic Bytes
Offset 0
4B 44 4D
Sources: Wikipedia, Gary Kessler
All Known Signatures
4 signature variants are documented for .vmdk files across multiple sources.
| Hex Signature | Offset | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 4B 44 4D | 0 | Wikipedia, Gary Kessler |
| 23 20 44 69 73 6B 20 44 65 73 63 72 69 70 74 6F | 0 | Wikipedia, Gary Kessler |
| 43 4F 57 44 | 0 | Gary Kessler |
| 4B 44 4D 56 | 0 | Gary Kessler |
Extension
.vmdk
MIME Type
application/octet-stream
Byte Offset
0
Risk Level
Safe
Validation Code
How to validate .vmdk files in Python
def is_vmdk(file_path: str) -> bool:
"""Check if file is a valid VMDK by magic bytes."""
signature = bytes([0x4B, 0x44, 0x4D])
with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
return f.read(3) == signature
How to validate .vmdk files in Node.js
function isVMDK(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
const signature = Buffer.from([0x4B, 0x44, 0x4D]);
return buffer.subarray(0, 3).equals(signature);
}
How to validate .vmdk files in Go
func IsVMDK(data []byte) bool {
signature := []byte{0x4B, 0x44, 0x4D}
if len(data) < 3 {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(data[:3], signature)
}
API Endpoint
/api/v1/vmdk
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/vmdk
See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .vmdk file?
A .vmdk file is a VMware 4 Virtual Disk description file file. VMware 3 Virtual Disk (portion of a split disk) file
What are the magic bytes for .vmdk files?
The magic bytes for VMware 4 Virtual Disk description file files are 4B 44 4D at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.
How do I validate a .vmdk file?
To validate a .vmdk file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (4B 44 4D) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.
What is the MIME type for .vmdk files?
There is no officially registered MIME type for .vmdk files. Systems typically use application/octet-stream as a generic fallback when handling this format.
Is it safe to open .vmdk files?
VMware 4 Virtual Disk description file (.vmdk) 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.