Definition · context memory
memory poisoning
memory poisoning is an attack that plants false or harmful facts in memory to sway later actions. You can spot memory poisoning in practice when the record shows what the system observes, what choice it makes, and what changes next, without asking the reader to guess or trust a slogan.
157 definitions656 sourced recordsNamed source: ACL Anthology
Why does memory poisoning matter?
A false stored fact can shape many later runs. Memory writes need source checks and a way to undo them. For memory poisoning, start with three checks: What is kept, and for how long? Who can write or retrieve it? How would bad data be found and removed? The answers should point to visible evidence, not a promise.
What does memory poisoning look like?
A fake support note marks a fraud account as trusted, so later agents skip checks. This example makes memory poisoning visible by naming the actor, the action, and the result in practice. It is an illustration for readers, not a claim that every product behaves this way.
What is memory poisoning easy to confuse with?
Memory poisoning corrupts stored context. Prompt injection tries to steer a current run. The closest entries here are memory consolidation, memory retrieval, memory store. Compare their definitions with memory poisoning before using the names as if they mean the same thing. That comparison keeps memory poisoning separate from nearby ideas without pretending the boundary is always perfect.
How certain is this definition?
This definition is provisional. ACL Anthology supports the version you see today, but a better or more direct source may change it. Open the cited page and check its date before you use this entry to choose a product, write a policy, set a safety control, or design a system.
Who introduced the term memory poisoning?
We have not verified who first introduced memory poisoning. The source supports a useful definition, but it may not be the earliest use. Until a dated primary record settles the question, we leave the origin open. A popular article or product page is not enough to name the person who coined a term.
What should you understand before memory poisoning?
Read memory first when memory poisoning depends on a more basic idea or mechanism. The link gives you a useful route through the glossary. It does not mean every author teaches the subject in this order, so follow the source when the sequence matters.
What should this term help you answer?
Use memory poisoning to ask what an agent can observe, decide, change, remember, or hand off. The questions below turn the definition into a practical check. They are prompts for your own work, not claims made by the source, so change them to fit the system you are examining.
- What is kept, and for how long?
- Who can write or retrieve it?
- How would bad data be found and removed?
Which source supports this definition of memory poisoning?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of memory poisoning. We checked the link on 2026-07-12. Open the original record for its context, methods, limits, and publication details. The short explanation here is a guide to memory poisoning; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundmemory poisoningChecked 2026-07-12→