How does secure temp files affect performance or memory usage?

Secure temporary files in Perl can have a significant impact on performance and memory usage, especially when dealing with sensitive data. The primary goal of using secure temporary files is to prevent unauthorized access to data, which often involves additional overhead like encryption or safe file creation methods. While these measures enhance security, they can slow down file operations and increase memory usage due to the additional resources required to maintain security standards.

For instance, when you use secure temporary files, Perl might perform extra checks and operations to ensure that the files are only accessible by the intended process. This can lead to increased CPU usage and a potential bottleneck when handling a large volume of file operations. Therefore, it's crucial to balance security needs with performance requirements in your application.