What is steganography?

Steganography is defined as the practice of hiding data within other data. This technique aims to conceal the existence of the information, making it undetectable to the casual observer. For instance, steganography can be used to embed secret messages within image or audio files, so that the presence of the message itself is not apparent. Unlike encryption, which obfuscates the content of data but does not hide its presence, steganography actively disguises the data in a way that it remains unobtrusive.

Understanding steganography is essential in various fields, including digital forensics, cybersecurity, and information security, as it raises challenges for data detection and analysis. Techniques and tools developed to uncover steganographic data help professionals identify hidden information that could be critical in investigations or security assessments.