> If an offset in an array is itself secret (you have a data array and the secret key always starts at data[100]), don't create a pointer to that location (don't create a pointer p to &data[100]). Otherwise, the garbage collector might store this pointer, since it needs to know about all active pointers to do its job. If someone launches an attack to access the GC's memory, your secret offset could be exposed.
That doesn't make sense to me. How can the "offset in an array itself" be "secret" if it's "always" 100? 100 isn't secret.
I think it may be about the absolute memory address to the secret being stored, which may itself be exploitable (ie you’re thinking about the offset value, rather than the pointer value). it’s about leaking even indirect information that could be exploited in different ways. From my understanding, this type of cryptography goes to extremely lengths to basically hide everything.
That’s my hunch at least, but I’m not a security expert.
The example could probably have been better phrased.
Obviously you’re not going to always inject everything into the context window.