Prompt injections, the malicious commands attackers embed into content to entice LLMs to follow them, have been attackers’ go-to tool for turning AI platforms against their users. A well-phrased command sneaked into an email or calendar invitation is often all it takes to cause the LLM to exfiltrate sensitive data or follow other harmful actions.
Now defenders are embracing the prompt injection, too.
A strong, sharp effect
Researchers from Tracebit on Monday said they found that placing prompt injections alongside passwords, cryptographic keys, and other secrets stored on AWS was often all that was needed to shut down attacks from AI hacking agents. The prompts direct the attacking LLM to perform an action forbidden by its guardrails, the safety barriers AI developers erect to prevent them from taking harmful actions. The LLM responds by shutting down.
Examples are a prompt that orders the LLM to provide the steps for developing inhalable Anthrax spores, or, in the case of LLMs from Chinese developers, make references to the iconic Tank Man from the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Once the LLM encounters these forbidden commands, they no longer follow their existing commands. The researchers have named the technique context bombing.
