1. A method of processing binary data for transmission from a first computing system to one or more other computing systems within a character-based data file, the method comprising: receiving, at the first computing system, a binary data string to be stored within the character-based data file, wherein at least a portion of the binary data string represents data other than character data; encoding, using an encoding module of the first computing system the binary data string using a codepage-independent encoding scheme, wherein the encoding module is implemented using instructions that are executable by one or more processors and stored in one or more non-transitory computer-readable media; and storing the encoded binary data string in one or more of a plurality of data segments of the character-based data file, wherein the character-based data file is configured such that all data stored in the plurality of data segments is indicated as representing character data.