diff --git a/conformance/probe/src/main.rs b/conformance/probe/src/main.rs
index 9629dcc..87c660d 100644
--- a/conformance/probe/src/main.rs
+++ b/conformance/probe/src/main.rs
@@ -724,6 +724,17 @@ fn main() {
             return;
         }
     };
+    // libhdf5 refuses a truncated file and reads nothing past the recorded
+    // end of file.
+    let base = (data.len() - hdf5.len()) as u64;
+    let hdf5 = match sb.data_end(base, data.len() as u64) {
+        Ok(end) => &hdf5[..end as usize],
+        Err(err) => {
+            top.insert("open_error".into(), Value::String(e(err)));
+            println!("{}", Value::Object(top));
+            return;
+        }
+    };
     top.insert("superblock_version".into(), json!(sb.version));
     let ctx = Ctx {
         data: hdf5,
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/error.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/error.rs
index 814a5a7..b3cfd65 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/error.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/error.rs
@@ -214,6 +214,14 @@ pub enum FormatError {
     /// dimension, a rank that does not match the dataspace, or a chunk of
     /// 4 GiB or more.
     InvalidChunkDimensions(String),
+    /// The superblock's end-of-file address lies past the end of the file:
+    /// the file was truncated (libhdf5 refuses to open it).
+    TruncatedFile {
+        /// End of file recorded in the superblock (relative to byte 0).
+        stored_eof: u64,
+        /// The file's actual length in bytes.
+        actual_len: u64,
+    },
 }
 
 impl fmt::Display for FormatError {
@@ -467,6 +475,16 @@ impl fmt::Display for FormatError {
             FormatError::InvalidChunkDimensions(why) => {
                 write!(f, "invalid chunk dimensions: {why}")
             }
+            FormatError::TruncatedFile {
+                stored_eof,
+                actual_len,
+            } => {
+                write!(
+                    f,
+                    "truncated file: the superblock records end of file {stored_eof}, \
+                     but the file is {actual_len} bytes"
+                )
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/superblock.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/superblock.rs
index d2ec4d6..a565321 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/superblock.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/superblock.rs
@@ -100,6 +100,42 @@ pub mod swmr_flags {
 }
 
 impl Superblock {
+    /// Where the HDF5 data ends, relative to the superblock, for a file of
+    /// `file_len` bytes whose superblock is at `user_block` (both counted
+    /// from the start of the file), with libhdf5's truncation check
+    /// (`H5F__super_read`).
+    ///
+    /// The superblock records the end of the file's data as an absolute
+    /// address. A file shorter than that was truncated, and libhdf5 refuses
+    /// to open it ("truncated file"); so does this, with
+    /// [`FormatError::TruncatedFile`]. Bytes past that address are not part
+    /// of the file: libhdf5 fails any read of them ("addr overflow" /
+    /// "address plus size exceeds file eoa"), so a reader should parse only
+    /// the data up to the returned end. As libhdf5 does for a SWMR reader,
+    /// the check is skipped for a version-3 superblock whose writer is still
+    /// writing it in SWMR mode (it extends the file as it goes); the data
+    /// then ends at the end of the file.
+    ///
+    /// When the superblock's recorded base address differs from where the
+    /// superblock actually is (a user block added or removed after the file
+    /// was written), libhdf5 moves the recorded end of file by the same
+    /// amount, and so does this.
+    pub fn data_end(&self, user_block: u64, file_len: u64) -> Result<u64, FormatError> {
+        let eof =
+            i128::from(self.eof_address) - i128::from(self.base_address) + i128::from(user_block);
+        if eof < 0 || eof > i128::from(file_len) {
+            if self.version >= 3 && self.is_swmr_write() {
+                return Ok(file_len.saturating_sub(user_block));
+            }
+            return Err(FormatError::TruncatedFile {
+                stored_eof: u64::try_from(eof).unwrap_or(self.eof_address),
+                actual_len: file_len,
+            });
+        }
+        // 0 <= eof <= file_len, so it fits a u64.
+        Ok((eof as u64).saturating_sub(user_block))
+    }
+
     /// Whether the file was opened with write access when the superblock was written.
     pub fn is_write_access(&self) -> bool {
         self.consistency_flags & swmr_flags::WRITE_ACCESS != 0
@@ -537,6 +573,30 @@ mod tests {
         buf
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn data_end_refuses_truncated_files_like_libhdf5() {
+        // build_v2_bytes records base 0, end of file 2048.
+        let sb = Superblock::parse(&build_v2_bytes(8, 2), 0).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(sb.data_end(0, 2048), Ok(2048));
+        // Bytes past the recorded end are not part of the file.
+        assert_eq!(sb.data_end(0, 4096), Ok(2048));
+        assert_eq!(
+            sb.data_end(0, 2047),
+            Err(FormatError::TruncatedFile {
+                stored_eof: 2048,
+                actual_len: 2047
+            })
+        );
+        // A user block added in front after the file was written (the
+        // recorded base address is still 0): the end moves with it.
+        assert_eq!(sb.data_end(512, 2560), Ok(2048));
+        assert!(sb.data_end(512, 2559).is_err());
+        // A v3 superblock still being written in SWMR mode is not checked.
+        let mut swmr = Superblock::parse(&build_v2_bytes(8, 3), 0).unwrap();
+        swmr.consistency_flags = swmr_flags::WRITE_ACCESS | swmr_flags::SWMR_WRITE;
+        assert_eq!(swmr.data_end(0, 1000), Ok(1000));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn parse_v0_8byte_offsets() {
         let data = build_v0_bytes(8);
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5/src/lazy.rs b/crates/clawhdf5/src/lazy.rs
index cf70f70..d893485 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5/src/lazy.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5/src/lazy.rs
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ pub struct LazyFile<R: HDF5Read> {
     /// Offset of the superblock in the file (the user-block size); every
     /// HDF5 address is relative to it.
     base: usize,
+    /// End of the HDF5 data (`Superblock::data_end`, absolute).
+    end: usize,
     superblock: Superblock,
     root_header: ObjectHeader,
     /// Cache of parsed object headers, keyed by address.
@@ -74,9 +76,13 @@ impl<R: HDF5Read> LazyFile<R> {
     ///
     /// Parses only the superblock and root group object header.
     pub fn open(reader: R) -> Result<Self, Error> {
+        let whole_len = reader.as_bytes().len() as u64;
         let (user_block, data) = signature::split_user_block(reader.as_bytes())?;
         let base = user_block.len();
         let superblock = Superblock::parse(data, 0)?;
+        // Refuse a truncated file; read nothing past the recorded end of file.
+        let end = base + superblock.data_end(base as u64, whole_len)? as usize;
+        let data = &reader.as_bytes()[base..end];
         let root_header = ObjectHeader::parse(
             data,
             superblock.root_group_address as usize,
@@ -86,6 +92,7 @@ impl<R: HDF5Read> LazyFile<R> {
         Ok(Self {
             reader,
             base,
+            end,
             superblock,
             root_header,
             header_cache: RefCell::new(HashMap::new()),
@@ -104,7 +111,7 @@ impl<R: HDF5Read> LazyFile<R> {
     }
 
     fn hdf5_bytes(&self) -> &[u8] {
-        &self.reader.as_bytes()[self.base..]
+        &self.reader.as_bytes()[self.base..self.end]
     }
 
     /// Returns a reference to the parsed superblock.
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5/src/mmap_file.rs b/crates/clawhdf5/src/mmap_file.rs
index 8c35163..7f544ca 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5/src/mmap_file.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5/src/mmap_file.rs
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ pub struct MmapFile {
     /// Offset of the superblock in the mapped file (the user-block size);
     /// every HDF5 address is relative to it.
     base: usize,
+    /// End of the HDF5 data (`Superblock::data_end`, absolute).
+    end: usize,
     superblock: Superblock,
 }
 
@@ -42,12 +44,16 @@ impl MmapFile {
     /// Open an HDF5 file using memory-mapped I/O.
     pub fn open<P: AsRef<std::path::Path>>(path: P) -> Result<Self, Error> {
         let reader = MmapReader::open(path).map_err(Error::Io)?;
+        let whole_len = reader.as_bytes().len() as u64;
         let (user_block, data) = signature::split_user_block(reader.as_bytes())?;
         let base = user_block.len();
         let superblock = Superblock::parse(data, 0)?;
+        // Refuse a truncated file; read nothing past the recorded end of file.
+        let end = base + superblock.data_end(base as u64, whole_len)? as usize;
         Ok(Self {
             reader,
             base,
+            end,
             superblock,
         })
     }
@@ -55,7 +61,7 @@ impl MmapFile {
     /// The file's bytes from the superblock on — the space HDF5 addresses
     /// index into.
     fn hdf5_bytes(&self) -> &[u8] {
-        &self.reader.as_bytes()[self.base..]
+        &self.reader.as_bytes()[self.base..self.end]
     }
 
     /// Size of the user block before the superblock (0 for most files).
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5/src/reader.rs b/crates/clawhdf5/src/reader.rs
index 5f2a027..6e506b4 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5/src/reader.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5/src/reader.rs
@@ -45,26 +45,34 @@ impl Backing {
     }
 }
 
-/// The file's bytes, viewed from the superblock on. A file may start with a
-/// user block (the superblock at 512, 1024, …); every HDF5 address is
-/// relative to the superblock, so all parsing goes through [`Self::as_bytes`].
+/// The file's bytes, viewed from the superblock on and up to the end of
+/// file the superblock records. A file may start with a user block (the
+/// superblock at 512, 1024, …); every HDF5 address is relative to the
+/// superblock, so all parsing goes through [`Self::as_bytes`].
 struct FileData {
     backing: Backing,
     /// Offset of the superblock in the file (the user-block size).
     base: usize,
+    /// End of the HDF5 data in the file (`Superblock::data_end`, absolute).
+    end: usize,
 }
 
 impl FileData {
-    /// Locate the superblock and parse it.
+    /// Locate the superblock and parse it. A truncated file is refused, and
+    /// bytes past the recorded end of file are not read, as in libhdf5.
     fn new(backing: Backing) -> Result<(Self, Superblock), Error> {
-        let (user_block, hdf5) = signature::split_user_block(backing.whole_file())?;
+        let whole = backing.whole_file();
+        let (user_block, hdf5) = signature::split_user_block(whole)?;
         let base = user_block.len();
         let superblock = Superblock::parse(hdf5, 0)?;
-        Ok((Self { backing, base }, superblock))
+        let end = superblock.data_end(base as u64, whole.len() as u64)?;
+        // data_end is at most the file length (less the user block).
+        let end = base + end as usize;
+        Ok((Self { backing, base, end }, superblock))
     }
 
     fn as_bytes(&self) -> &[u8] {
-        &self.backing.whole_file()[self.base..]
+        &self.backing.whole_file()[self.base..self.end]
     }
 
     fn len(&self) -> usize {
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5/tests/header_validation_interop.rs b/crates/clawhdf5/tests/header_validation_interop.rs
index a2f3e7a..23509e1 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5/tests/header_validation_interop.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5/tests/header_validation_interop.rs
@@ -153,3 +153,48 @@ for libver in ("earliest", "latest"):
         ],
     );
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn truncated_files_are_refused_and_nothing_past_the_end_of_file_is_read() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    // The superblock records where the file's data ends. A copy missing its
+    // last bytes is truncated: libhdf5 refuses to open it (this read what
+    // was left). Bytes appended after the end are not part of the file, and
+    // a superblock moved by prepending a user block (its recorded base
+    // address now wrong) has its end of file moved with it; both still read.
+    let verdicts = h5py_verdicts(
+        dir.path(),
+        r#"
+for libver in ("earliest", "latest"):
+    good = os.path.join(d, f"{libver}_good.h5")
+    with h5py.File(good, "w", libver=libver) as f:
+        f.create_dataset("d", data=np.arange(100, dtype="<i4"))
+        f.attrs["note"] = "x" * 64
+    data = open(good, "rb").read()
+    open(os.path.join(d, f"{libver}_truncated.h5"), "wb").write(data[:-8])
+    open(os.path.join(d, f"{libver}_appended.h5"), "wb").write(data + b"\0" * 64)
+    open(os.path.join(d, f"{libver}_moved.h5"), "wb").write(b"\0" * 512 + data)
+"#,
+    );
+    assert_agrees_with_h5py(
+        dir.path(),
+        &verdicts,
+        &[
+            "earliest_appended ok",
+            "earliest_good ok",
+            "earliest_moved ok",
+            "earliest_truncated ERROR",
+            "latest_appended ok",
+            "latest_good ok",
+            "latest_moved ok",
+            "latest_truncated ERROR",
+        ],
+    );
+    for name in ["earliest_truncated", "latest_truncated"] {
+        let err = File::open(dir.path().join(format!("{name}.h5")))
+            .err()
+            .unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("{name} opened"));
+        assert!(err.to_string().contains("truncated file"), "{name}: {err}");
+    }
+}