  This work investigates a central problem in steganography, that is: How much
data can safely be hidden without being detected? To answer this question, a
formal definition of steganographic capacity is presented. Once this has been
defined, a general formula for the capacity is developed. The formula is
applicable to a very broad spectrum of channels due to the use of an
information-spectrum approach. This approach allows for the analysis of
arbitrary steganalyzers as well as non-stationary, non-ergodic encoder and
attack channels.
  After the general formula is presented, various simplifications are applied
to gain insight into example hiding and detection methodologies. Finally, the
context and applications of the work are summarized in a general discussion.
