[jose] Binary encoding for JSON

[Phillip Hallam-Baker <[e-mail]>]

http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-hallambaker-jsonbcd-00

The big problem I have found with using JSON for crypto is the lack of a
binary encoding for data. This means that binary blobs have to be encoded
as Base64 which is not too bad in itself except that when using nested
structures the base64 overhead expands the data by 33% each time it is
wrapped.

JSON-B is basically just a scheme that adds in a run-length encoding for
strings and binary data to JSON encoding. It is a superset of JSON and it
is very easy to adapt a JSON parser or encoder to add in support for JSON-B.

Unlike other binary encodings for JSON (BJSON etc), there is no need to
distinguish the binary form from the regular. A JSON-B decoder will accept
either form. This simplifies protocol negotiation as the only concern is
ensuring that the sender emits a form that the receiver can understand.

JSON-B also provides binary encodings for integers (including bignums up to
(2^23)  bits long) and doubles. The last being important in scientific
applications as converting to and from decimal form results in precision
loss.


There is also a JSON-C (Compact) and JSON-D (Data) defined.


The practical benefit of using this with JOSE is that it can be used to
frame the crypto data in the same way that ASN.1 is used in CMS but with
the same simplicity as using traditional JSON.


-- 
Website: http://hallambaker.com/