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ZLIB

application/octet-stream

Safe

Magic Bytes

Offset: 0
78 01

ZLIB is an abstraction of the DEFLATE compression algorithm, originally developed by Jean-loup Gailly and Mark Adler. This format is extensively utilized within software libraries, network protocols such as HTTP, and as a data storage component for container formats like PNG and PDF. While the compressed data is inherently safe, security risks primarily involve improper implementation of the decompression library or denial-of-service attacks via decompression bombs that target system memory.

Extension

.zlib

MIME Type

application/octet-stream

Byte Offset

0

Risk Level

Safe

Validation Code

How to validate .zlib files in Python

Python
def is_zlib(file_path: str) -> bool:
    """Check if file is a valid ZLIB by magic bytes."""
    signature = bytes([0x78, 0x01])
    with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
        return f.read(2) == signature

How to validate .zlib files in Node.js

Node.js
function isZLIB(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
  const signature = Buffer.from([0x78, 0x01]);
  return buffer.subarray(0, 2).equals(signature);
}

How to validate .zlib files in Go

Go
func IsZLIB(data []byte) bool {
    signature := []byte{0x78, 0x01}
    if len(data) < 2 {
        return false
    }
    return bytes.Equal(data[:2], signature)
}

API Endpoint

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

Related Formats

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a .zlib file?

A .zlib file is a ZLIB file. ZLIB is an abstraction of the DEFLATE compression algorithm, originally developed by Jean-loup Gailly and Mark Adler. This format is extensively utilized within software libraries, network protocols such as HTTP, and as a data storage component for container formats like PNG and PDF. While the compressed data is inherently safe, security risks primarily involve improper implementation of the decompression library or denial-of-service attacks via decompression bombs that target system memory.

What are the magic bytes for .zlib files?

The magic bytes for ZLIB files are 78 01 at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.

How do I validate a .zlib file?

To validate a .zlib file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (78 01) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.

What is the MIME type for .zlib files?

The primary MIME type for .zlib files is application/octet-stream.

Is it safe to open .zlib files?

ZLIB (.zlib) 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.