What is Steganography?
The last few decades have witnessed a tremendous development in network and computer technology. The internet security in communication has therefore become a concern. It is important to ensure that the transmission of sensitive data is not detectable to people who are not intended to be the recipients of the data. Steganography is one of the major techniques to achieve this network security during the communication process. According to Techopedia (2019), steganography is an encryption technique that can be used as an extra-secure method to protect data. Simply speaking, it is data hidden within data by hiding information inside another information. This technology has been used in invisible communications for a long time. In practice, steganography can be achieved using these types of carriers: steganography in image, steganography in audio, steganography in video, and steganography in text.
Sensitive Data in Social Work
Social work students or practitioners very often have to analyze empirical data from clients with sensitive information. The common types of sensitive data include personal identifiable information, protected health information (PHI), student education records, sensitive identifiable human subject research, social security numbers, customer record information, etc. For instance, health information is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and student education records are protected under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Social workers have to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of clients’ data by following laws and regulations such as the FERPA and HIPAA. Therefore, it is important for social workers to avoid malpractice such as a data breach- the release of secure information to unsecure environment.