steganography

The word steganography comes from the ancient Greeks and means “covered writing,” and is defined as the practice of concealing messages or information within other nonsecure text or data.  Although it is a very old process that has its roots in cave paintings, pictures, and other similar types of glyphs that would only have significant meaning to those who knew what to look for, it is still considered an incredibly, and surprisingly, effective way to hide information.

• Please explain how steganography works and provide examples of its application.
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of using steganography?
• Can steganography replace the use of encryption?