Definition ∞ Oblivious RAM, or ORAM, is a cryptographic primitive designed to conceal memory access patterns from an untrusted server. It ensures that the sequence of memory addresses accessed by a program remains hidden, even if the server observes all data transfers. This technology enhances data privacy by preventing external parties from inferring sensitive information based on access patterns. ORAM operates by shuffling and encrypting data blocks during retrieval and storage.
Context ∞ The discussion surrounding Oblivious RAM focuses on its utility in cloud computing and blockchain environments where data privacy is paramount. Its situation involves ongoing research to improve its efficiency and practicality for real-world applications, as its computational overhead can be substantial. A critical future development to watch for is the optimization of ORAM schemes to enable more widespread adoption in secure computation and confidential data storage.
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