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Cybersecurity glossary

What is prompt injection?

Also known as: indirect prompt injection, jailbreak

Definition

Prompt injection is an attack on AI applications in which crafted input, typed directly or hidden in content the model reads, overrides the developer’s instructions.

Why it matters

It is ranked first in the OWASP Top 10 for LLM Applications. Mitigations focus on limiting impact: least-privilege tool access, treating output as untrusted, separating instructions from data, and human approval for sensitive actions.

Common questions about prompt injection

Sources