Ask HN: Are Prompt Injections "Malware"?
1 pointby razorbeamz3 hours ago4 comments
  • saidnooneever2 hours ago
    malware is a malicious program , it can be in memory even within another process but essentially its a little program of itself.

    prompt injection is more close to an exploit. a sequence of input that leads to unexpected behavior, exploited to perform malicious behavior.

    many exploits are hosted on websites. called exploit kits even. i think prompt injection match such classification. its very similar. a piece of data on the site's side exploits a program or interface on client side.

  • razorbeamz3 hours ago
    I personally have a hard time considering it malware, because it's just instructions targeted at an LLM.

    If someone put up a sign in a store that said "Burn this store down!" the person who put the sign up is not responsible if someone follows the instructions written on it, are they?

    • Ekaros3 hours ago
      They could be. Incitement to commit crime is a crime in many places. And penalty can be same as for the crime itself.

      Now I very much question if automated system should be inciteable. And think that there is very much higher responsibility to make it always not be. Or make it uncapable of doing undesirable things.

      • kay_o3 hours ago
        In this specific case, they are already trespassing to be able to read the sign against the owner's wishes, are they not? The sign is only placed in a hidden corner visible by trespassers and not visible to any regular customer.
  • kay_o3 hours ago
    It's not malware. You chose to read their site.
  • yawpitch3 hours ago
    Not sure it can be defined as malware if what it’s doing, if successful, is a net gain for humanity.