[Asrg] base64 encoded mail

[gep2@terabites.com]

>>> 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.

> In the scheme proposed by Art Pollard, a copy of the public key would be 
included with the signed message. Common format for public key certificates 
use base 64 encoded, outright ban of all base-64 email would be a problem 
for this. The point I was trying to make is that outright ban on ALL 
base-64 email is not a simple as it sounds. There are legit applications 
that use it and such banning approach would have to take them into account.

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.

Gordon Peterson                  http://personal.terabites.com/
1977-2002  Twenty-fifth anniversary year of Local Area Networking!
Support the Anti-SPAM Amendment!  Join at http://www.cauce.org/
12/19/98: Partisan Republicans scornfully ignore the voters they "represent".
12/09/00: the date the Republican Party took down democracy in America.



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