What is the BDOB file format?
A .bdob file is a NATO Binary Binding Data Object. It binds metadata, most often a confidentiality label, to a data object so the object's sensitivity can be tracked as it moves between information-sharing partners. The format comes from the NATO Standardization Office and is defined in Allied Data Publication ADatP-4778, the Metadata Binding Mechanism behind STANAG 4778. IANA registers it under the media type application/vnd.nato.bindingdataobject+cbor.
A .bdob file stores the binding in .cbor, the Concise Binary Object Representation described in RFC 8949. That makes it the binary sibling of the XML-based .bdo file, which carries the same binding model as text. The file holds the metadata and a reference to the data object it describes rather than the payload itself, so it stays small. A binding may also include a COSE element so it can be digitally signed for authentication and integrity.
You will run into .bdob files mainly in defence and government systems that follow the Data Centric Security approach, where every piece of shared data travels with a machine-readable label.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA .bdob file is passive data. The IANA registration states it carries no active or executable content, so opening one cannot run code. The main caution is that it may hold a confidentiality label indicating sensitive or classified material, and any COSE signature should be validated before trusting the binding. Referenced data objects live outside the file and must be resolved separately.
Format details
in a nutshell- Generic renamed CBOR data - Some non-NATO applications reuse a .bdob extension informally for arbitrary CBOR-serialized data objects, but that is not a registered format.
Programs that open BDOB files
Windows3 apps
cbor2 (Python, cbor2.tool)
Open-source Install with pip install cbor2, then decode a renamed copy with python -m cbor2.tool file.cbor to print the binding as JSON-like text.
cbor.me (web CBOR playground)
Free Paste the file's bytes (as hex) to decode the CBOR structure into a readable diagnostic view in the browser.
File Viewer Plus
Paid Open the .bdob in this multi-format viewer to inspect its bytes when you only need a quick look. 
macOS2 apps
cbor2 (Python, cbor2.tool)
Open-source Run pip install cbor2 then python -m cbor2.tool yourfile to decode the binding to text.
cbor.me (web CBOR playground)
Free Convert the file's hex bytes to a readable CBOR diagnostic notation in the browser. 
Linux3 apps
cbor2 (Python, cbor2.tool)
Open-source Install via pip install cbor2 and decode with python -m cbor2.tool file to see the JSON representation.
cbor-diag (Ruby cbor2diag / cbor2pretty)
Open-source Install the cbor-diag gem, then pipe the file through cbor2pretty or cbor2diag to render its diagnostic notation.
jq with a CBOR decoder
Open-source Convert the .bdob to JSON with a CBOR decoder, then explore the binding and label fields using jq.
cbor.io implementations directory
Free Pick a CBOR library for your language from this official list to parse .bdob files programmatically. Technical details
deep spec| Encoding | Concise Binary Object Representation (CBOR), per IETF RFC 8949 |
| Byte order | Big-endian (CBOR head/length fields are network byte order) |
| Container | CBOR data item, optionally wrapped in a COSE (RFC 8152 / RFC 9052) structure for signing |
| Compression | None (CBOR is a compact binary encoding, not a compressed container) |
| Encryption | Not encrypted by default; the binding may carry a COSE-tagged element for authentication and integrity, and referenced data objects can be protected separately |
| Integrity | Optional COSE_Sign / COSE_Mac elements provide digital signatures and integrity protection over the binding |
| Structure | A binding data object associates one or more metadata items (chiefly a STANAG 4774 confidentiality label) with a referenced data object. The CBOR profile encodes the same binding model as the XML .bdo profile, holding the metadata, a reference to the bound data object, and optional signature material. |
| Platforms | Cross-platform |
| Notes | BDOB is the binary sibling of the XML-based .bdo file. Both are profiles of the NATO ADatP-4778 Metadata Binding Mechanism, used within Data Centric Security (DCS) to bind confidentiality metadata to data throughout its lifecycle across information-sharing partners. |
| Typical size | Small, from a few hundred bytes to a few kilobytes, since it holds metadata and references rather than the payload data itself |
| Released | 2020 |
| Latest version | ADatP-4778 (Metadata Binding Mechanism) |
| Open standard | Yes · royalty-free |
| Specification | www.iana.org |
BDOB conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about BDOB files.
Frequently asked questions
What is a BDOB file?
.bdo file.How do I open a BDOB file?
.cbor name and run a decoder such as Python's cbor2.tool, or paste its hex bytes into the cbor.me web viewer to see the structure as readable text.Is a BDOB file the same as a CBOR file?
.bdob is a CBOR stream, but the extension signals that its contents follow the NATO ADatP-4778 binding profile. Any CBOR decoder can read the raw bytes, but only ADatP-4778-aware software interprets the binding fields correctly.What is the difference between .bdo and .bdob?
.bdo file stores it as XML text, while a .bdob stores it as compact CBOR binary. The binary form is smaller and faster to parse but not human-readable without a decoder.
