What is the SFB file format?
.sfb is a file format associated with the Sony PlayStation 3 game console. The well-known instance is PS3_DISC.SFB, a small binary disc descriptor placed at the root of every PlayStation 3 Blu-ray game disc - not a text file, despite how it has sometimes been described. It begins with a .SFB magic signature at byte offset 0, followed by a version field and a key/value table holding just a handful of entries: HYBRID_FLAG (a short code telling the console what kind of disc it contains) and TITLE_ID (the game's product code). The file is typically well under 1 KB.
PS3_DISC.SFB can be found on PlayStation 3 game discs and on the console's hard drive when games or backups are installed. The hard drive can also be used for storing game backups. The .sfb file is an integral part of the disc layout and cannot be safely deleted or modified without affecting the game. It acts as the binary partner of the more detailed PARAM.SFO. In homebrew and backup contexts, .sfb files can be edited using PS3 modding tools such as ASToolPS3 or a hex editor.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA PS3_DISC.SFB is a tiny inert descriptor with no executable code, so the file itself is harmless. The real-world context is the legal/security grey area it appears in: PS3 disc backups, homebrew and modding. Editing it incorrectly can stop a backup from being recognised, and running unofficial PS3 firmware/jailbreaks carries its own risks - but the .sfb file on its own poses no malware threat.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open SFB files
Technical details
deep spec| Format type | Binary disc descriptor |
| Magic bytes | 0x2E 53 46 42 (".SFB") at byte offset 0 |
| Byte order | Big-endian |
| Encoding | Binary with embedded ASCII key/value entries |
| Typical file size | Under 1 KB |
| Key entries | HYBRID_FLAG (disc type code) and TITLE_ID (game product code) |
| Standard filename | PS3_DISC.SFB, placed at the disc root |
| Platform | PlayStation 3 (Cell OS / GameOS) |
| Developer | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| Companion file | PARAM.SFO - more detailed game metadata file on the same disc |
| MIME type | application/octet-stream |
| Structure | Header (.SFB magic + version field) followed by a key table and value block |
| Released | 2006 (PlayStation 3 launch) |
| Latest version | PS3 system software era (no public versioning of the SFB format itself) |
| Specification | www.psdevwiki.com |
SFB conversions
Community Q&A
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