📌 Latent Prompt Injection Summary
Latent prompt injection is a security issue affecting artificial intelligence systems that use language models. It occurs when hidden instructions or prompts are placed inside data, such as text or code, which the AI system later processes. These hidden prompts can make the AI system behave in unexpected or potentially harmful ways, without the user or developers realising it.
🙋🏻♂️ Explain Latent Prompt Injection Simply
Imagine someone slips a secret note into a book you are reading, and when you find it, you follow the instructions without thinking, even if they are odd or risky. Latent prompt injection is like hiding those secret notes in digital content, so when an AI reads it, it might do things the creator did not intend.
📅 How Can it be used?
A content moderation tool could be vulnerable to latent prompt injection if user-uploaded text contains hidden commands for the AI.
🗺️ Real World Examples
A company uses an AI to summarise customer emails. Someone sends an email containing hidden instructions, causing the AI to output sensitive internal information when summarising, risking a data breach.
An online forum uses an AI to automatically answer questions. A user posts a question with a concealed prompt, making the AI respond with inappropriate or off-topic content, undermining trust in the system.
✅ FAQ
What is latent prompt injection in AI systems?
Latent prompt injection is when hidden messages are tucked away inside data like text or code. When an AI system later reads this data, it can pick up those secret instructions and behave in ways that nobody expected. This can be risky, as neither users nor developers may realise that the AI is being quietly steered by something hidden.
Why is latent prompt injection a concern for people using AI?
Latent prompt injection is worrying because it can make AI systems act unpredictably or even dangerously. Since the hidden prompts are not easy to spot, people might trust the AI without knowing it has been quietly influenced. This makes it harder to trust the results and could lead to mistakes or misuse.
How can latent prompt injection happen in everyday situations?
Latent prompt injection can happen if someone puts a hidden instruction in a document, website, or piece of code. If an AI later reads that information, it might follow the concealed prompt without anyone noticing. This could happen during tasks like summarising emails, processing web content, or analysing code, making it a sneaky and often overlooked risk.
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