Description: Mlock is a system call in Unix-like operating systems, such as Linux and BSD variants, that allows a process to lock a specific range of its virtual address space in RAM. This means that the memory pages that are locked cannot be swapped to disk, ensuring that they remain in physical memory while the process is running. This functionality is crucial for applications that require fast and constant access to critical data, such as databases, real-time systems, and high-performance applications. Mlock provides finer control over memory management, allowing developers to optimize their applications’ performance by avoiding the latency associated with page swapping. Additionally, it is important to mention that the use of mlock can have security implications, as sensitive data that is locked in memory cannot be easily removed, which can pose a risk if the process is compromised. In summary, mlock is a powerful tool in memory management in Unix-like systems, offering both performance advantages and security considerations.
