5/07/2010

What is Steganography?

Abstract: Steganography is the art and science of writing hidden messages in such a way that no one, apart from the sender and intended recipient, suspects the existence of the message, a form of security through obscurity.[1]



Steganographic technologies are a very important part of the future of Internet security and privacy on open systems such as the Internet. Steganography is a method of hiding a secret message inside of other data. Steganography, derived from Greek, literally means “covered writing.” It includes a vast array of secret communications methods that conceal the message’s very existence. It refers to the science of invisible communication. Unlike cryptography, where the goal is to secure communications from an eaves-dropper, Steganographic techniques strive to hide the very presence of the message itself from an observer. Steganography in the modern day sense of the word usually refers to information or a file that has been concealed inside a digital Picture, Video or Audio file.