File signature

Last updated January 03, 2026

A file signature is data used to identify or verify the contents of a file. In particular, it may refer to:

File magic number: bytes within a file used to identify the format of the file; see list of file signatures.
File checksum or more generally the result of a hash function over the file contents: data used to verify the integrity of the file contents, generally against transmission errors or malicious attacks. The signature can be included at the end of the file or in a separate file.

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