Encrypting then Base64 Encoding












3















I notice online encryption tools encrypt the plaintext and output the ciphertext in base64 format. Why is ciphertext outputted in base64 format? Can the ciphertext be outputted in binary format?






encryption cryptography







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  • You can translate that data into any base, it just happens that Base64 is well suited for the web; it's composed of characters that are safe to use in URLs.

    – meagar
    4 hours ago
















3















I notice online encryption tools encrypt the plaintext and output the ciphertext in base64 format. Why is ciphertext outputted in base64 format? Can the ciphertext be outputted in binary format?






encryption cryptography







share|improve this question























  • You can translate that data into any base, it just happens that Base64 is well suited for the web; it's composed of characters that are safe to use in URLs.

    – meagar
    4 hours ago














3












3








3








I notice online encryption tools encrypt the plaintext and output the ciphertext in base64 format. Why is ciphertext outputted in base64 format? Can the ciphertext be outputted in binary format?






encryption cryptography







share|improve this question














I notice online encryption tools encrypt the plaintext and output the ciphertext in base64 format. Why is ciphertext outputted in base64 format? Can the ciphertext be outputted in binary format?






encryption cryptography




encryption cryptography






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asked 5 hours ago









Angela LipfordAngela Lipford

282




282













  • You can translate that data into any base, it just happens that Base64 is well suited for the web; it's composed of characters that are safe to use in URLs.

    – meagar
    4 hours ago



















  • You can translate that data into any base, it just happens that Base64 is well suited for the web; it's composed of characters that are safe to use in URLs.

    – meagar
    4 hours ago

















You can translate that data into any base, it just happens that Base64 is well suited for the web; it's composed of characters that are safe to use in URLs.

– meagar
4 hours ago





You can translate that data into any base, it just happens that Base64 is well suited for the web; it's composed of characters that are safe to use in URLs.

– meagar
4 hours ago










2 Answers
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A web browser has to print a visual representation of the binary data. The usual visual representation of binary data is the hexadecimal notation.



Now observe: The space overhead of hex-encoded data is factor 2 (we need 2 ascii characters for one byte).
The space overhead of base64-encoded data is only 1.33, making it more space-efficient than hex-encoded data.



Moreover, I suspect that the tool support for base64-encoded data is at least as good as for hex-encoded data.



For instance, you can copy-paste a base64-encoded ciphertext directly into a PEM file.






share|improve this answer

































    1














    Ciphertext can be output in binary format. For example, gpg defaults to binary format, and you need to specify --armor to make it base64:



    --armor
    
-a
    
    Create ASCII armored output. The default is to create the binary OpenPGP format.


    The reason you see ASCII/base64 more often is that it is easier to transfer and manipulate than binary. SMTP email, for example, cannot handle binary data without encoding it, so having a non-binary format makes it simpler to email encrypted text. FTP may default to non-binary mode which will introduce errors when transferring a binary file. Even something as simple as popping open a file in an editor to make sure it "looks like it's there" is easier with non-binary formats.






    share|improve this answer























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      2 Answers
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      2 Answers
      2






      active

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      active

      oldest

      votes






      active

      oldest

      votes









      1














      A web browser has to print a visual representation of the binary data. The usual visual representation of binary data is the hexadecimal notation.



      Now observe: The space overhead of hex-encoded data is factor 2 (we need 2 ascii characters for one byte).
      The space overhead of base64-encoded data is only 1.33, making it more space-efficient than hex-encoded data.



      Moreover, I suspect that the tool support for base64-encoded data is at least as good as for hex-encoded data.



      For instance, you can copy-paste a base64-encoded ciphertext directly into a PEM file.






      share|improve this answer






























        1














        A web browser has to print a visual representation of the binary data. The usual visual representation of binary data is the hexadecimal notation.



        Now observe: The space overhead of hex-encoded data is factor 2 (we need 2 ascii characters for one byte).
        The space overhead of base64-encoded data is only 1.33, making it more space-efficient than hex-encoded data.



        Moreover, I suspect that the tool support for base64-encoded data is at least as good as for hex-encoded data.



        For instance, you can copy-paste a base64-encoded ciphertext directly into a PEM file.






        share|improve this answer




























          1












          1








          1







          A web browser has to print a visual representation of the binary data. The usual visual representation of binary data is the hexadecimal notation.



          Now observe: The space overhead of hex-encoded data is factor 2 (we need 2 ascii characters for one byte).
          The space overhead of base64-encoded data is only 1.33, making it more space-efficient than hex-encoded data.



          Moreover, I suspect that the tool support for base64-encoded data is at least as good as for hex-encoded data.



          For instance, you can copy-paste a base64-encoded ciphertext directly into a PEM file.






          share|improve this answer















          A web browser has to print a visual representation of the binary data. The usual visual representation of binary data is the hexadecimal notation.



          Now observe: The space overhead of hex-encoded data is factor 2 (we need 2 ascii characters for one byte).
          The space overhead of base64-encoded data is only 1.33, making it more space-efficient than hex-encoded data.



          Moreover, I suspect that the tool support for base64-encoded data is at least as good as for hex-encoded data.



          For instance, you can copy-paste a base64-encoded ciphertext directly into a PEM file.







          share|improve this answer














          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited 4 hours ago

























          answered 4 hours ago









          Mike76Mike76

          15119




          15119

























              1














              Ciphertext can be output in binary format. For example, gpg defaults to binary format, and you need to specify --armor to make it base64:



              --armor
              
-a
              
    Create ASCII armored output. The default is to create the binary OpenPGP format.


              The reason you see ASCII/base64 more often is that it is easier to transfer and manipulate than binary. SMTP email, for example, cannot handle binary data without encoding it, so having a non-binary format makes it simpler to email encrypted text. FTP may default to non-binary mode which will introduce errors when transferring a binary file. Even something as simple as popping open a file in an editor to make sure it "looks like it's there" is easier with non-binary formats.






              share|improve this answer




























                1














                Ciphertext can be output in binary format. For example, gpg defaults to binary format, and you need to specify --armor to make it base64:



                --armor
                
-a
                
    Create ASCII armored output. The default is to create the binary OpenPGP format.


                The reason you see ASCII/base64 more often is that it is easier to transfer and manipulate than binary. SMTP email, for example, cannot handle binary data without encoding it, so having a non-binary format makes it simpler to email encrypted text. FTP may default to non-binary mode which will introduce errors when transferring a binary file. Even something as simple as popping open a file in an editor to make sure it "looks like it's there" is easier with non-binary formats.






                share|improve this answer


























                  1












                  1








                  1







                  Ciphertext can be output in binary format. For example, gpg defaults to binary format, and you need to specify --armor to make it base64:



                  --armor
                  
-a
                  
    Create ASCII armored output. The default is to create the binary OpenPGP format.


                  The reason you see ASCII/base64 more often is that it is easier to transfer and manipulate than binary. SMTP email, for example, cannot handle binary data without encoding it, so having a non-binary format makes it simpler to email encrypted text. FTP may default to non-binary mode which will introduce errors when transferring a binary file. Even something as simple as popping open a file in an editor to make sure it "looks like it's there" is easier with non-binary formats.






                  share|improve this answer













                  Ciphertext can be output in binary format. For example, gpg defaults to binary format, and you need to specify --armor to make it base64:



                  --armor
                  
-a
                  
    Create ASCII armored output. The default is to create the binary OpenPGP format.


                  The reason you see ASCII/base64 more often is that it is easier to transfer and manipulate than binary. SMTP email, for example, cannot handle binary data without encoding it, so having a non-binary format makes it simpler to email encrypted text. FTP may default to non-binary mode which will introduce errors when transferring a binary file. Even something as simple as popping open a file in an editor to make sure it "looks like it's there" is easier with non-binary formats.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered 49 mins ago









                  gowenfawrgowenfawr

                  53.7k11114159




                  53.7k11114159






























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