What is Security Through Obscurity? Security Through Obscurity is the reliance on secrecy, concealment, or the hiding of system details to achieve security. Instead of using a heavy vault door with a complex cryptographic lock, STO is the equivalent of hiding the key under the welcome mat and hoping the burglar doesn't look there. It is a polarizing topic because traditional security doctrine—dating back to the 19th-century cryptographer Auguste Kerckhoffs—states that a system should be entirely secure even if the attacker knows everything about how it works, as long as the encryption key remains private. Critics argue that STO violates this rule, while proponents argue that a little camouflage never hurt anyone. Examining the Role of Obscurity Despite the criticism, obscurity does have a role to play in modern IT environments, provided it is not the only defense.…