In steganography, what is the payload?

• A. The carrier file
• B. The hidden message itself
• C. The encryption key
• D. The checksum

Answer: (B)

In steganography, the payload is the hidden data that is concealed inside another file. It’s the actual secret content you want to hide, such as a text message, an image, or a small file, that gets embedded into a cover or carrier file like a PNG, WAV, or other media. The carrier file serves as the container that carries the payload without drawing attention to the embedded data. If the hidden data is encrypted before embedding, the encryption key is used to protect the payload, but it isn’t the payload itself. A checksum is used for integrity verification and does not represent the concealed data.