Tools / Timestamp Converter
Timestamp Converter
Paste a Unix timestamp (seconds or milliseconds), a hex-encoded timestamp, or a human-readable date string and see it converted to every common format. Click Now to capture the current time.
Notable timestamps reference
| Event | Unix | Date (UTC) |
|---|---|---|
| Unix epoch | 0 | 1970-01-01 00:00:00 |
| Y2K | 946684800 | 2000-01-01 00:00:00 |
| 32-bit signed max | 2147483647 | 2038-01-19 03:14:07 |
| 32-bit unsigned max | 4294967295 | 2106-02-07 06:28:15 |
| GPS epoch | 315964800 | 1980-01-06 00:00:00 |
| NTP epoch offset | -2208988800 | 1900-01-01 00:00:00 |
How it works
Unix time counts the number of seconds since January 1, 1970 (the Unix epoch). Most systems store this as a 32-bit or 64-bit integer. A 10-digit number is seconds; a 13-digit number is milliseconds. This tool auto-detects which format you pasted.
Timestamps appear constantly in CTF forensics challenges. File metadata (creation time, modification time), log entries, database records, and JWT tokens all embed timestamps. EXIF metadata in photos stores timestamps that can reveal when and where a photo was taken. The JWT Decoder shows iat and exp claims as Unix timestamps that you can paste directly into this tool.
The Year 2038 problem is relevant to CTF challenges: signed 32-bit integers overflow at 2147483647 (January 19, 2038). Some challenges exploit this overflow. Unsigned 32-bit timestamps extend to 2106, and 64-bit timestamps effectively last forever.
Hex-encoded timestamps (like 0x6554AE00) show up in binary file formats, network protocols, and memory dumps. This tool accepts hex input directly. Combine with the Endianness Converter if you need to swap byte order before converting.
Challenges where it helps
Guides that use this tool
- OSINT for CTF: How to Turn Public Data Into a FlagOSINT for CTF: identify a CVE from a prose description, recover redacted text, geolocate from EXIF, read identity out of a pcap, and profile credentials.
- Document Forensics for CTF: PDFs, Office Files, and Everything strings MissesPulling flags out of PDFs and Office documents: failed redaction, hidden slides, tracked changes, VBA macros, embedded objects, and why strings finds none of it.
- Race Conditions and TOCTOU for CTF: Winning the Window Between Check and UseHow to find, widen and win race conditions in CTF: symlink TOCTOU on SUID binaries, limit-overrun bugs in web apps, signal races, and mempool front-running.
- Windows Forensics for CTF: Event Logs, Registry Hives, BitLocker, and SMBWork Windows artifacts from Linux: parse .evtx event logs, read registry hives offline, crack and mount BitLocker volumes, enumerate SMB shares, write YARA rules.
- Side-Channel Attacks for CTF: Timing, Power, Compression, and Cache OraclesRecover secrets from what a program leaks rather than what it outputs: timing leaks, correlation power analysis, compression oracles, and cache eviction channels.
- Image Metadata and EXIF Forensics for CTFEXIF metadata forensics for CTF: the flag hides in metadata, not pixels. Use exiftool, PNG text chunks, thumbnails, and strings to pull flags from EXIF and XMP.
Tools that pair with this one
- JWT DecoderDecode JSON Web Tokens and inspect the header, payload, and signature. Useful for web exploitation challenges.
- Number Base ConverterConvert numbers between binary, octal, decimal, and hexadecimal instantly. Enter any value and see all four bases update in real time.
- Image Metadata ViewerRead EXIF, XMP, JPEG comments, and PNG tEXt / iTXt / zTXt chunks from images entirely in the browser. Highlights flag-like values.
- Regex TesterTest regular expressions against a string with live match highlighting, flag toggles, and common CTF pattern shortcuts.
Or browse all 40 CTF tools.