gep2(_at_)terabites(_dot_)com wrote:
Also, blocking base64 encoding would block email schemes where digital
signatures are used.
That is entirely mistaken. You might want to ensure that sender and
recipient agree on whether to sign the encoded or plaintext versions
of the message, but that's all.
I wouldn't propose BANNING base64 encoding... not at all. But I don't think
there's much if any point in including it in E-mails if the recipient isn't
ready to accept it. If a recipient is prepared to accept base64 encoding from
specific senders (those for which they have a public key, for instance) then
it's easy enough to turn base64 permission on for those trusted senders.
IMHO, blocking an email message because it's base64 encoded is
misguided. Here's a case in point: There are gateways out there that
will switch encodings on messages. If a message is sent through a
gateway that understands 8-bit messaging, and it is then passed through
to another system which only allows 7-bit, it's got to be downgraded.
Downgrading to base64 is perfectly reasonable for such a gateway.
Tony Hansen
tony(_at_)att(_dot_)com
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