What is a .PUB file?
A .pub file is a public key, such as an SSH key you share with servers.
- Did you know
- Public keys are safe to share; they pair with a private key you keep hidden.
- A .pub key is one half of an asymmetric key pair, safe to copy onto any server while its matching private key stays secret.
- On an SSH server the public key is appended to the user’s authorized_keys file to permit password-free logins.
- A .PUB file uses Microsoft's OLE Compound File container - the same wrapper as the legacy .doc and .xls binaries.
- What Analyser reads
- Inspect security and crypto files: PEM private/public keys (RSA/EC/Ed25519, PKCS#1 vs PKCS#8, encryption), OpenSSH .pub with SHA-256 fingerprint, PuTTY .ppk, PKCS#10 CSR, X.509 CRL, PKCS#7 bundles, OpenVPN/WireGuard configs, Java KeyStores, Apple .mobileconfig/.mobileprovision, Windows .reg (with autorun flagging), and pcap/pcapng captures - warning when a private key or secret is present.
- Depth of analysis
- .PUB is an identification-grade format: Analyser recognises it from its bytes and decodes the header metadata it carries, rather than opening it in a full viewer. Formats that do get a full viewer are marked "Full" on the formats page.
- Open a .PUB file
- Drag a .PUB file onto the Analyser home page (or tap to pick one). It is identified entirely in your browser - nothing is uploaded, there is no account, and it works offline once installed.