Which term is the process of hiding a message inside another object, such as a picture or document?

• A. System-specific Policies
• B. Technical Control
• C. Security Requirements Traceability Matrix (SRTM)
• D. Steganography

Answer: (D)

Steganography is the practice of concealing a message inside another object, such as a picture, audio file, or document. The goal is to hide the existence of the communication, not just scramble its contents. This is different from encryption, which protects the message’s content but not whether someone might notice that a message is present. In steganography, small, often imperceptible changes are embedded in the host medium—for example, tweaking the least significant bits of image pixels or hiding data within document metadata—so that the hidden information remains unnoticed by casual observers.

The other options describe governance or security implementation concepts rather than concealment of information. Consequently, steganography best fits the description. Be aware that steganography can be detected by steganalysis, and altering the host file can destroy the hidden payload, so it isn’t a standalone security solution.