What characteristic is true about steganography?

Steganography is a method used to conceal information within other non-secret data in order to avoid detection. This technique protects the hidden data from being seen by unauthorized individuals, thereby maintaining its confidentiality. By embedding the secret data in a seemingly innocuous file—such as an image, audio file, or text document—steganography ensures that observers are not aware that any secret information exists.

This approach is fundamentally different from other forms of data protection, such as encryption, where the data becomes unreadable without the proper key or method to decrypt it. In the case of steganography, the hidden message remains intact within a carrier file, meaning it can be transmitted without raising suspicion while being protected from plain sight.

The other options suggest characteristics that do not accurately reflect the nature of steganography, focusing instead on visibility, software requirements, or data transfer speeds, which do not align with its primary purpose of hiding data.