What does "steganography" involve?

Steganography is the practice of hiding information within other, seemingly innocuous files, such as images, audio recordings, or other types of digital content. The primary goal of steganography is to obscure the existence of the hidden data, making it undetectable to unauthorized users. This technique contrasts with encryption, where the presence of the data is known, but its content is disguised.

For example, one might embed a secret message within an image file by altering the least significant bits of the pixel data, which typically does not significantly affect the visual appearance of the image. This method allows for covert communication, as the hidden message can be transmitted without raising suspicion.

The other options highlight different security practices but do not directly pertain to the concept of steganography. Encrypting data focuses on securing the content against unauthorized access, while file transfer security emphasizes the secure transmission of files over networks. Creating complex passwords relates to user authentication and security practices, but none of these deals with the concept of concealing information within another file, which is the essence of steganography.