What is MIME type "application/vnd.etsi.asic-e+zip"?

A MIME type is a string that tells browsers and other tools how to handle a particular kind of file.

application/vnd.etsi.asic-e+zip is a MIME type that packages digital signature containers inside a ZIP archive. It bundles one or more files with their cryptographic signatures to guarantee document integrity and authenticity.
This container format is built to align with ETSI standards for advanced electronic signatures.

It is used to secure electronic documents in various sectors. The format supports file types such as SCE, ASICE, BDOC, and EDOC.

Integrity: Verifies that the contained files remain unchanged.
Authenticity: Confirms the identity of the signer.
Packaging: Bundles documents and their corresponding signatures into one secure archive.
Standardization: Meets ETSI guidelines for secure digital transactions.

This MIME type is ideal where security and legal validation are critical. It is widely used in scenarios that require trusted digital signatures.

Associated file extensions

.sce, .asice, .bdoc, .edoc

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

When serving content with this MIME type, set the Content-Type header:


    Content-Type: application/vnd.etsi.asic-e+zip

HTML

In HTML, you can specify the MIME type in various elements:


    <a href="file.dat" type="application/vnd.etsi.asic-e+zip">Download file</a>

Server-side (Node.js)

Setting the Content-Type header in Node.js:


    const http = require('http');    
    
    http.createServer((req, res) => {    
      res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/vnd.etsi.asic-e+zip');    
      res.end('Content here');    
    }).listen(3000);

Associated file extensions

.sce, .asice, .bdoc, .edoc

FAQs

How do I open .asice, .bdoc, or .sce files?

These files are digital signature containers. To verify the signatures and view the legal documents properly, you should use specific e-signature software like DigiDoc, OpenEID, or other ETSI-compliant tools. Since the underlying format is a ZIP archive, you can technically rename the file extension to .zip to extract the contents, but this will not validate the digital signatures.

How do I configure Apache or Nginx to serve application/vnd.etsi.asic-e+zip?

You must explicitly map the MIME type to the relevant extensions to ensure browsers handle the download correctly.

Apache: Add AddType application/vnd.etsi.asic-e+zip .asice .bdoc .sce .edoc to your config or .htaccess.
Nginx: Add application/vnd.etsi.asic-e+zip asice bdoc sce edoc; inside your types { } block.

Can I open these files directly in a web browser?

Most modern web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge) do not have built-in support for rendering ETSI signature containers. Instead of displaying the content, the browser will usually prompt you to download the file so it can be opened with a desktop application dedicated to digital signatures.

Why use this specific MIME type instead of application/zip?

While the file structure is compatible with ZIP, using application/vnd.etsi.asic-e+zip is crucial for semantics. It informs the operating system and browser that the file is a digitally signed container, prompting them to launch signature verification software rather than a generic file archiver.

What happens if I modify files inside an .asice archive using a ZIP tool?

Because application/vnd.etsi.asic-e+zip relies on cryptographic hashes, modifying, adding, or deleting any file inside the archive will break the digital signature. The container will still open as a ZIP file, but the signature validation software will report the document as tampered with or invalid.

Are .bdoc and .edoc files the same as .asice?

They are closely related. Extensions like BDOC and EDOC are often specific regional implementations (e.g., used in the Baltics) of the ETSI ASiC standards. They typically use the same MIME type, application/vnd.etsi.asic-e+zip, to ensure compatibility with standard signature processing libraries.

General FAQ

What is a MIME type?

A MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) type is a standard that indicates the nature and format of a document, file, or assortment of bytes. MIME types are defined and standardized in IETF's RFC 6838.

MIME types are important because they help browsers and servers understand how to process a file. When a browser receives a file from a server, it uses the MIME type to determine how to display or handle the content, whether it's an image to display, a PDF to open in a viewer, or a video to play.

MIME types consist of a type and a subtype, separated by a slash (e.g., text/html, image/jpeg, application/pdf). Some MIME types also include optional parameters.

How do I find the MIME type for a file?

You can check the file extension or use a file identification tool such as file --mime-type on the command line. Many programming languages also provide libraries to detect MIME types.

Why are multiple MIME types listed for one extension?

Different applications and historical conventions may use alternative MIME identifiers for the same kind of file. Showing them all helps ensure compatibility across systems.