MBSA File
What are MBSA files and how to open them
Are you having problems opening a MBSA file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your MBSA files.
What is a MBSA file?
A .MBSA file is a Microsoft Baseline Security Analyser Report file.
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyser Report files are generated by Microsoft's Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA), a tool for scanning Windows systems for missing security updates and common misconfigurations. When MBSA finishes a scan, it produces a report that documents which patches are needed, which settings are insecure or noncompliant, and provides pass/fail status for various checks. These reports serve security administrators who need to assess or audit a system's vulnerability state.
These .MBSA files are written by the MBSA program itself. They are typically stored in XML format, using a schema Microsoft has not formally published for external use (outside MBSA). The files can be displayed within MBSA's graphical user interface or output via the commandline tool (MBSACLI), which can also render the XML into human readable text or CSV summaries. MBSA's reports include categories such as security updates, administrative vulnerabilities, password policies, and IIS/SQL server checks.
Files of this type begin with a byte signature showing "SecScan ID=" in Unicode (bytes 0xFFFE followed by "<SECScan ID=" at offset zero). Internal text fragments include phrases like "Windows Security Updates", "Password Expiration", "IIS Status", "Computer Is Workgroup" among others that relate to security configuration items.
How to open MBSA files
We have identified one MBSA opener that is compatible with this specific type of MBSA file.
Programs that open Microsoft Baseline Security Analyser Report files
 | Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer | Discontinued |
Last updated: August 9, 2026
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