What is the difference between Encryption and Steganography in Information Security?


Encryption

Data encryption is a method of translating information from plaintext (unencrypted) to ciphertext (encrypted). Users can access encrypted information with an encryption key and decrypted information with a decryption key.

There are large amounts of sensitive information handled and stored online in the cloud or on combined servers. Encryption needs cybersecurity to protect against brute-force and cyber-attacks, such as malware and ransomware.

Data encryption operates by protecting transmitted digital information on the cloud and computer systems. There are two types of digital information, transmitted information or in-flight information and stored digital information or data at rest.

The main objective of data encryption is to secure digital data confidentiality as it is saved on computer systems and transmitted using the internet or other computer networks.

The outdated data encryption standard (DES) has been restored by modern encryption algorithms that play an important role in the security of IT systems and communications.

These algorithms supports confidentiality and drive key security initiatives such as authentication, integrity, and non-repudiation. Authentication enables for the verification of a message’s origin, and integrity supports validate that a message’s contents have not transformed because it was sent. Moreover, non-repudiation provides that a message sender cannot deny sending the message.

Steganography

Steganography is a technique that facilitates concealing of a message that is to be kept secret within other message. This result is the concealment of the hidden message itself. Steganography techniques can be used to images, a video file or an audio file.

The main objective of steganography is to connect securely in a completely undetectable manner and to prevent drawing suspicion to the transmission of a hidden information. It is not to maintain others from understanding the hidden information, but it is to keep others from thinking that the data even exists. If a steganography method generates someone to suspect the carrier medium, thus the method has declined.

In steganography, it plays an essential role in information security. It is very beneficial for sending the information secretly from one point to another without letting anyone understand that the other or critical document has been sent.

Let us see the comparison between Encryption and Steganography.

Encryption
Steganography
It is represented as the conversion of plaintext or information into unintelligible form using reversible translation.
It is represented as the method of hiding the existence of a message or other information.
In this process in which plaintext is transformed into ciphertext using a cryptosystem, only someone understanding the appropriate secret can acquire the original plaintext.
It is a security technique in which a message is hidden by covering it with something else.
It is a Greek word which defines private writing.
It is also a Greek word which define covered writing.
It renders the message unintelligible to externals.
It can hidden the message by covering it with something else.

Updated on: 15-Mar-2022

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