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Encrypting then Base64 Encoding

Compute the AES-encryption key given the plaintext and its ciphertext?Base64 conversion for byte array in encryptionCBC-R Cookie EncryptionSecurity Implications of using Base64 Encoding with EncryptionHow strong is a simple XOR encryption with random IV?Is it possible to construct a specific AES collision?What CryptoPP APIs Output Round By Round Results for AES Encryption/Decryption?Is encrypting a CRC with the plaintext ok?AES-CBC then SHA vs AES-GCM for encrypting and authenticating a web tokenGeneral Purpose Hybrid Encryption File Format

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

asked 5 hours ago

Angela LipfordAngela Lipford

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
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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

asked 5 hours ago

Angela LipfordAngela Lipford

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
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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

asked 5 hours ago

Angela LipfordAngela Lipford

282

share|improve this question

asked 5 hours ago

Angela LipfordAngela Lipford

282

share|improve this question

asked 5 hours ago

Angela LipfordAngela Lipford

282

asked 5 hours ago

Angela LipfordAngela Lipford

282

asked 5 hours ago

Angela LipfordAngela Lipford

282

2 Answers
2

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

edited 4 hours ago

answered 4 hours ago

Mike76Mike76

15119

add a comment | 

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

answered 56 mins ago

gowenfawrgowenfawr

53.7k11114159

add a comment | 

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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.

share|improve this answer

edited 4 hours ago

answered 4 hours ago

Mike76Mike76

15119

add a comment | 

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

edited 4 hours ago

answered 4 hours ago

Mike76Mike76

15119

add a comment | 

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

edited 4 hours ago

answered 4 hours ago

Mike76Mike76

15119

share|improve this answer

edited 4 hours ago

answered 4 hours ago

Mike76Mike76

15119

answered 4 hours ago

Mike76Mike76

15119

answered 4 hours ago

Mike76Mike76

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

answered 56 mins ago

gowenfawrgowenfawr

53.7k11114159

add a comment | 

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

answered 56 mins ago

gowenfawrgowenfawr

53.7k11114159

add a comment | 

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

answered 56 mins ago

gowenfawrgowenfawr

53.7k11114159

--armor

-a

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

share|improve this answer

answered 56 mins ago

gowenfawrgowenfawr

53.7k11114159

answered 56 mins ago

gowenfawrgowenfawr

53.7k11114159

answered 56 mins ago

gowenfawrgowenfawr

53.7k11114159