Prompt Injection
What does Prompt Injection mean?
Prompt Injection is an attack or manipulation that places instructions in model input or retrieved content to make an AI ignore intended rules or reveal protected information.
Prompt Injection used in a sentence
“The webpage contained a prompt injection telling the assistant to leak hidden data.”
This example shows the term in context rather than treating the definition as a literal word-for-word substitution. Slang often depends on tone, audience, and the conversation around it.
How do you use Prompt Injection?
The term is used in AI security, especially when models process untrusted text, documents, webpages, or tool outputs.
Where did Prompt Injection come from?
Researchers named the vulnerability by analogy to injection attacks in software security.
Common variations of Prompt Injection
indirect prompt injection
Malicious instructions hidden in external content the model reads.
direct prompt injection
Instructions supplied directly by a user to override behavior.
Prompt Injection: frequently asked questions
Is prompt injection the same as hacking?
It is a security attack pattern, though impact depends on what the AI can access or do.
Can it be fully prevented?
Defenses can reduce risk, but robust prevention remains difficult.