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For a very specific example, look at the classified ciphers used by the US Gov't TLAs. Why are they classified? Because if they are harder to get info about --

For a very specific example, look at the classified ciphers used by the US Gov't TLAs. Why are they classified? Because if they are harder to get info about -- literally obscured -- then it's an additional layer of defense. Or troop movements during war... Sure, the locations can be figured out, but by not broadcasting locations that's more work for the enemy and thus a bit more secure. Obscurity is absolutely a key piece of security, because it adds the complexity of discovery.

thinkharderdev 6y ago
This is true but I think that its not really a binary classification and there is a spectrum from useless and trivial obscurity (base64 encoding some "secret") to actually useful obscurity. After all, you can call password authentication "security through obscurity" since you only need to know the correct sequence of characters and your security relies on that sequence remaining obscure.