Difference between Steganography and Cryptography

Last Updated : 11 Apr, 2024

Steganography and cryptography are critical components of network security. Network security has emerged as an essential part of today's communication infrastructure. There was an urgent need for network security to protect confidentiality and data integrity. It protects the user against unauthorized access. Steganography hides communication traces, while cryptography uses encryption to make the message unreadable.

Cryptography and Steganography — Cryptography vs Steganography

What is Steganography?

Steganography is a method in which a secret message is hidden in a cover media. Steganography means covered writing. Steganography is the idea of preventing secret information by creating suspicion. Steganography is less popular than Cryptography. In steganography, the structure of data is not usually altered. The forms of steganography are:

Text
Audio
Video
Images
Network or Protocol

What is Cryptography?

Cryptography means secret writing. In cryptography, the sender does not send a message directly to the receiver, before sending information to the receiver information or plain text is converted into cipher text by using some encryption algorithm then sent to the receiver and the receiver decrypts the cipher text into plain text to read the original information. It is of two types:

Difference between Steganography and Cryptography

Basis	Steganography	Cryptography
Definition	Steganography means covered writing.	Cryptography means secret writing.
popularity	Steganography is less popular than Cryptography.	While cryptography is more popular than Steganography.
Attack Name	The attack's name in Steganography is Steganalysis.	In cryptography, the Attack's name is Cryptanalysis.
Data Alteration	In steganography, the structure of data is not usually altered.	While in cryptography, the structure of data is altered.
Security Principles	Steganography supports Confidentiality and Authentication security principles.	Cryptography supports Confidentiality and Authentication security principles as well as Data integrity and Non-repudiation.
Visibility	In steganography, the fact that a secret communication is taking place is hidden.	While in cryptography only a secret message is hidden.
Mathematical Involvement	In steganography, not many mathematical transformations are involved.	Cryptography involves the use of number theory, mathematics, etc. to modify data
Information Handling	In Steganography the information is hidden.	In cryptography, the information is transformed.
Information Visibility	The hidden information is not visible.	Transformed information is visible.
Security Services	Steganography Provides Confidentiality only.	Cryptography Provides Confidentiality, Integrity, Non-repudiation.
Algorithms	Steganography doesn't have specific algorithms.	Cryptography has Various recognized and approved algorithms.
Goal	The goal of steganography is to make the information invisible to anyone who doesn't know where to look or what to look for	The main goal of cryptography is to keep the contents of the message secret from unauthorized access.

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Cryptography is a technique of securing communication by converting plain text into unintelligible ciphertext. It involves various algorithms and protocols to ensure data confidentiality, integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation. The two primary types of cryptography are symmetric key cryptogr