Scribd
Upload
157 views9 pages

A Quick Guide To Base64

Base64 encoding is a method of encoding binary data as text characters. It is commonly used to embed binary data like images or files within HTML and XML. The encoding works by taking binary data in groups of 6 bits and representing each group as a character in a 64-character set. Any leftover bits are padded with zeros. Base64 increases the size of the data by about 33% but allows it to be safely transported in text form via email or other systems that only support text.

Uploaded by

Jonathan Francis Roscoe
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
157 views9 pages

A Quick Guide To Base64

Base64 encoding is a method of encoding binary data as text characters. It is commonly used to embed binary data like images or files within HTML and XML. The encoding works by taking binary data in groups of 6 bits and representing each group as a character in a 64-character set. Any leftover bits are padded with zeros. Base64 increases the size of the data by about 33% but allows it to be safely transported in text form via email or other systems that only support text.

Uploaded by

Jonathan Francis Roscoe
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 9

Base64 Encoding

Jonathan Francis Roscoe


[email protected]

Topics of Discussion

Encoding and encryption What is base64 used for? Usage of base64 encoding The algorithm Drawbacks lternati!es

Encoding and Encryption

"eople often refer to base64 #and similar methods$ as a form of encryption% Encoding is the process of transforming information from one format into another%

Transfer &torage 'ormating #eg% (aTe) * semantics encoding$

Encryption is a type of encoding that obscures information to make it unreadable without special knowledge%

"ositional notation * a +uadrose,agesimal number system -umerals ./01 alphabetical characters a/2 and plus two special characters #all printable &455$ /3

What is base64?

VGhlIHF1aWNrIGJyb3duIGZveCByYW4 b3Zlc!B"aG# bGF6e$ Bkb%c&


Value Base64 Value Base64 Value Base64 Value Base64 0 A 16 ! 32 . 48 ; 1 B 17 " 33 / 49 < 2 C 18 # 34 0 50 = 3 D 19 $ 35 1 51 > 4 E 20 % 36 2 52 0 5 F 21 V 37 l 53 1 6 G 22 & 38 3 54 2 7 H 23 ' 39 4 55 3 8 I 24 ( 40 5 56 4 9 J 25 ) 41 6 57 5 10 K 26 a 42 7 58 6 11 L 27 * 43 8 59 7 12 M 28 + 44 s 60 8 13 N 29 , 45 9 61 9 14 O 30 e 46 u 62 ? 15

31 47 : 63 @

What is base64 used for?

6Binary to te,t7 encoding% "rimarily used in &8T" / transfer protocol allows only 9/bit &455 characters to be used% Base64 will encode any bit stream as a se+uence of 9/bit &455 characters #ie% Binary data to plainte,t$% 8ultipurpose 5nternet 8ail E,tensions UT'/9 nti/spam e!asion Binary data embedded in )8(

The Encoding

lgorithm

Binary data is split into groups of :4 bits #; bytes$1 then split into 6/bit chunks and con!erted to the corresponding &455 characters%
Original bit stream 6-bit chunks "11"1"11"11"1"1""11"1"11 "11"1"'11"11"'1"1""1'1"1"11

Decimal

%6'(4'41'43

Base64

a%)r

The Encoding

lgorithm

What if we don<t ha!e a multiple of ; bytes in our bit stream?


Original bit stream "11"""1""11"11"""111"1"1"11""1"1

Take first 24 bits, split into 6-bits Decimal

"11"""'1""11"'11"""1'11"1"1

%4'3*'4+'(3

Base64

Y,-1

The Encoding
Take remaining bits "11""1"1 Take first 24 bits, split into 6-bits ill incomplete bits with !eros Decimal

lgorithm

"11""1'"1----'------'------

"11""1'"1""""'------'------

%('%6

Base64, replace blank bits with '='

Z.&&

=ther -otes

;;> increase in si2e &455?@1 Auoted/printable1 ?B5T858E "ri!acy/Enhanced Electronic 8ail was the first place where base64 was used Beaders usually describe if a message is encoded in base641 it is up to the client to translate

You might also like