Encrypting then Base64 Encoding












4















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
















4















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














4












4








4








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

332




332













  • 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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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.






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    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.






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      2 Answers
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      2 Answers
      2






      active

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      active

      oldest

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      active

      oldest

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      2














      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




























        2














        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


























          2












          2








          2







          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 1 hour ago









          gowenfawrgowenfawr

          53.7k11114159




          53.7k11114159

























              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 5 hours ago









                  Mike76Mike76

                  15119




                  15119






























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