What is the BFF file format?
A .bff file is a binary archive in IBM's AIX Backup File Format, a proprietary sequential format used on AIX (IBM's enterprise UNIX) for two distinct purposes: filesystem and file-level backups created with the backup command, and software package distribution for AIX Licensed Program Products (LPPs) installed via the installp command.
The format is identified by a 4-byte big-endian magic number at offset 0 - 0x09006BEA for the standard variant or 0x09006FEA for an alternative - which the AIX file command reports as a "backup/restore format file". Its sequential structure is loosely analogous to tar: file headers and data blocks are written in order with no random-access index. Data may optionally be GZIP-compressed, though many LPP packages ship uncompressed.
On AIX, the restore command reads .bff archives for file recovery, while installp consumes them to install software packages. The format dates from the AIX 3.x era of the early 1990s on the RISC System/6000. Outside AIX, .bff files have extremely limited support: there is no native Linux restore utility for this format, and extraction on Linux (including ppc64le) requires third-party tools. The format is almost exclusively encountered in IBM enterprise and mainframe environments.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWBFF files are passive binary archives with no macro/script execution capability. The main concern on AIX is that restoring a maliciously crafted backup could overwrite system files - always verify the source. NFS SHIFT BFF files are game resource data and pose no security risk.
Format details
in a nutshell- Need for Speed SHIFT Game Data - Electronic Arts/Slightly Mad Studios used .bff for packed game resource files (models, textures, audio) in NFS SHIFT (2009) and SHIFT 2 (2011); unrelated to IBM BFF.
Programs that open BFF files
Linux2 apps
AIX restore (on AIX systems only)
Built-in On AIX: 'restore -xvf filename.bff' to extract files. Not available on Linux without IBM's AIX tooling.
AIX backup (on AIX systems only)
Built-in On AIX: 'backup -f filename.bff /path' to create a BFF backup. Read with 'restore'. Technical details
deep spec| Magic bytes | `0x09006BEA` (standard) or `0x09006FEA` (variant) at byte offset 0, big-endian; AIX `file` command identifies both |
| Byte order | Big-endian (AIX/IBM POWER architecture) |
| Dual purpose | Filesystem backups via AIX `backup` command and AIX LPP software packages via `installp` command |
| Compression | Optional GZIP; LPP packages commonly shipped uncompressed |
| Structure | Sequential header-plus-data blocks analogous to `tar`; no random-access index |
| Platform | Native to AIX (IBM UNIX); Linux support only via third-party extraction tools |
| LPP installation | `installp` reads `.bff` archives to install AIX Licensed Program Products |
| File recovery | AIX `restore` command reads `.bff` archives for file and filesystem backup recovery |
| Typical size | A few KB (single-file LPP) to multi-GB (full filesystem backup) |
| Origin platform | RISC System/6000 (IBM RS/6000); format introduced in AIX 3.x era, early 1990s |
| Cross-platform limitation | No native Linux `restore` utility; ppc64le systems require third-party or community tools for extraction |
| MIME type | `application/octet-stream` (no registered MIME type) |
| Released | early 1990s (AIX 3.x era) |
| Specification | www.ibm.com |
Community Q&A
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