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WDB (.wdb)

.wdb file signature | application/vnd.ms-works

WDB is a database file format created by Microsoft for the Microsoft Works office suite. It was used to store personal and small-business records such as address books, inventories, and simple data tables, and was commonly opened in Microsoft Works and compatible office applications. The format is legacy and largely obsolete, and files from untrusted sources should be handled with standard caution, although it is generally considered safe.

Safe

Magic Bytes

Offset 0
D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1

Sources: Apache Tika

Extension

.wdb

MIME Type

application/vnd.ms-works

Byte Offset

0

Risk Level

Safe

Validation Code

How to validate .wdb files in Python

Python 
def is_wdb(file_path: str) -> bool:
    """Check if file is a valid WDB by magic bytes."""
    signature = bytes([0xD0, 0xCF, 0x11, 0xE0, 0xA1, 0xB1, 0x1A, 0xE1])
    with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
        return f.read(8) == signature

How to validate .wdb files in Node.js

Node.js 
function isWDB(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
  const signature = Buffer.from([0xD0, 0xCF, 0x11, 0xE0, 0xA1, 0xB1, 0x1A, 0xE1]);
  return buffer.subarray(0, 8).equals(signature);
}

How to validate .wdb files in Go

Go 
func IsWDB(data []byte) bool {
    signature := []byte{0xD0, 0xCF, 0x11, 0xE0, 0xA1, 0xB1, 0x1A, 0xE1}
    if len(data) < 8 {
        return false
    }
    return bytes.Equal(data[:8], signature)
}

API Endpoint

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

See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.

Related Formats

.wcm .wps .wks

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a .wdb file?

A .wdb file is identified by the magic bytes D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1 at byte offset 0. WDB is a database file format created by Microsoft for the Microsoft Works office suite. It was used to store personal and small-business records such as address books, inventories, and simple data tables, and was commonly opened in Microsoft Works and compatible office applications. The format is legacy and largely obsolete, and files from untrusted sources should be handled with standard caution, although it is generally considered safe.

What are the magic bytes for .wdb files?

The magic bytes for WDB files are D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1 at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.

How do I validate a .wdb file?

To validate a .wdb file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.

What is the MIME type for .wdb files?

The primary MIME type for .wdb files is application/vnd.ms-works.

Is it safe to open .wdb files?

WDB (.wdb) 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.