### 7.59 `.hidden` names

This is one of the ELF visibility directives. The other two are `.internal` (see `.internal`) and `.protected` (see `.protected`).

This directive overrides the named symbols default visibility (which is set by their binding: local, global or weak). The directive sets the visibility to `hidden` which means that the symbols are not visible to other components. Such symbols are always considered to be `protected` as well.