Base64 vs encryption
It is the most common security misunderstanding: Base64 is NOT encryption. Base64 is an encoding — it turns bytes into ASCII text to transport them (say, an image inside JSON) — and anyone reverses it instantly, with no key. Encryption uses a key, and without it the content is unreadable. Confusing them leaves "protected" data that is actually in plain sight.
| Aspect | Base64 | Cifrado |
|---|---|---|
| Needs a key | No | Yes |
| Reversible by anyone | Yes | No |
| Provides confidentiality | No | Yes |
| What it is for | Transport binaries | Protect secrets |
When to use Base64
Use Base64 to move binary data over text channels: attach an image in JSON, a data URI, credentials in a header (still traveling over HTTPS). Never to "hide" something sensitive.
When to use Cifrado
Use encryption (AES and similar) when the content must be secret: without the key, nobody reads it. Base64 is sometimes used AFTER encrypting, only to transport the result.
In short: Base64 = transport reversible by anyone. Encryption = confidentiality with a key. If your goal is that nobody can read it, Base64 is not enough: you need encryption.