Re: [xml-dev] Seek your help in compiling a list of "facts aboutbase64-e

[Shlomi Fish <shlomif@shlomifish.org>]

On Thu, 14 Sep 2017 13:09:54 +0000
"Costello, Roger L." <costello@mitre.org> wrote:

> Hi Folks,
> 
> 
> Is base64 encoded data good? Bad? A security risk? A simple mechanism for
> data privacy? It is probably all of those. Below I have attempted to
> objectively state the facts. Am I missing any facts?  /Roger
> 

Seems right.

> 
> 
> 1.       Base64-encoded data is plain text, consisting of these 64 ASCII
> characters: a-z, A-Z, 0-9, +, / and the equals symbol ( = ).
> 
> 2.       Any type of file, from plain text to binary executable, can be
> base64-encoded.
> 
> 3.       There is nothing in base64-encoded data which tells the media type
> of the data. External information must be provided to tell the media type.
> Without external information, the media type must be discovered (if possible).
> 
> 4.       Decoding base64 text is a trivial task.
> 
> 5.       Data that is base64-encoded cannot be directly viewed, used, or
> inspected.
> 
> 6.       Compared to data that is not encoded, viewing/using/inspecting
> base64-encoded data requires an additional step: decode and then
> view/use/inspect.
> 
> 7.       Without external information about the media type of the data that
> is base64-encoded, there are two additional steps to viewing/using/inspecting
> base64-encoded data: decode, determine the media type (if possible), and then
> view/use/inspect.
> 
> 8.       Text formats such as XML and JSON cannot carry binary data. If
> binary data must be carried by a text format, the binary data can be
> base64-encoded, thus generating plain text, and then the base64-encoded plain
> text can be carried by the text format.



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Shlomi Fish       http://www.shlomifish.org/
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