Tag Image File Format (TIFF) - image/tiff MIME Sub-type Registration
obsoletes
- rfc-2302 — Tag Image File Format (TIFF) - image/tiff MIME Sub-type Registration
Extracted elements (10)
The image/tiff definition was broadened from the earlier RFC 1528 reference to TIFF Class F subset to encompass all of TIFF 6.0, consistent with existing practice for TIFF-aware Internet applications. The application parameter was introduced to allow identification of specific subsets without restricting the base type.
Implementations may not be able to handle all defined applications or profiles within applications of TIFF. The presence of the application parameter may aid in determining rendering capability before dispatching, but the parameter is not intended to convey capability levels.
TIFF binary data should be encoded using base64 on transports that cannot accommodate binary data directly.
New values for the image/tiff application parameter must be approved by the IESG prior to registration, requiring publication of a description of parameter values in an RFC.
The application parameter MUST NOT be used as a blind request to execute some arbitrary program; it should be treated as a hint indicating what sort of application would handle the content most appropriately.
An optional 'application' parameter is defined for the image/tiff media type to identify a particular application's subset of TIFF and TIFF extensions for the encoded image data. No values are defined in this document; new values require IESG approval and RFC publication.
The image/tiff content-type is defined to carry TIFF 6.0 encoded image data. It redefines the earlier RFC 1528 definition which had referenced TIFF Class F specifically, broadening it to all of TIFF 6.0.
Registers the MIME media type image/tiff for TIFF 6.0 encoded image data. The registration includes an optional 'application' parameter, encoding considerations (binary/base64), magic numbers, and file extension .TIF.
TIFF fields are descriptive in nature and do not induce behavior in recipient applications, so currently defined fields do not create additional security risks. However, TIFF's extensible structure means future fields could theoretically be defined to induce recipient actions, presenting additional risks not present in TIFF 6.0.
TIFF files are identified by magic numbers: little-endian (II) files begin with 49 49 2A 00 hex, and big-endian (MM) files begin with 4D 4D 00 2A hex. File extension is .TIF; Macintosh file type code is TIFF.