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AI Security·Updated 2026-10-21

What is data poisoning in AI?

Short answer

Data poisoning is when an attacker manipulates the data used to train, fine-tune or ground an AI model, so the model learns harmful behavior, hidden backdoors or wrong answers. It also applies to retrieval systems that pull documents into a model’s context at run time.

The details

Defenses include controlling and recording where training and retrieval data come from, restricting who can add content to knowledge bases, and testing model behavior after each data change.

Terms explained

Data poisoning
Data poisoning is the manipulation of data used to train, fine-tune or ground an AI model so that it behaves in a way the attacker wants.
MITRE ATLAS
MITRE ATLAS is a public knowledge base of adversary tactics and techniques against AI-enabled systems, modeled on MITRE ATT&CK.

Sources

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