Prompt Injection Protection
Prompt injection attacks attempt to manipulate AI models by embedding malicious instructions in user input. Learn how to protect your applications.What is Prompt Injection?
Prompt injection occurs when an attacker crafts input that overrides or manipulates the model’s intended behavior:Types of Attacks
Direct Injection
The user directly attempts to override instructions:Indirect Injection
Malicious instructions hidden in data the model processes:Jailbreak Attempts
Attempts to bypass safety guidelines:Built-in Protection
Assisters API includes basic prompt injection detection. Enable it with:Detection Patterns
Our detection looks for:| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Instruction override | ”Ignore all previous…”, “Disregard your…” |
| Role manipulation | ”You are now…”, “Act as if you’re…” |
| System prompt extraction | ”Print your instructions”, “What were you told?” |
| Encoding tricks | Base64, ROT13, Unicode obfuscation |
| Delimiter attacks | ”```”, ”###”, special characters |
Implementation Strategies
1. Pre-check User Input
2. Structured System Prompts
Use clear delimiters and explicit boundaries:3. Input Validation
Validate and sanitize inputs:4. Output Validation
Check if the response leaked sensitive information:5. Role-Based Restrictions
Limit what the model can do:Testing Your Defenses
Test with common injection patterns:Defense in Depth
Input Validation
Check all user inputs before processing
Structured Prompts
Use clear delimiters and boundaries
Output Filtering
Validate responses before returning
Rate Limiting
Limit requests to slow down attacks
Best Practices
- Never trust user input - Always validate
- Use layered defenses - Don’t rely on one technique
- Keep secrets out of prompts - Don’t include API keys or passwords
- Log suspicious activity - Monitor for attack patterns
- Update regularly - New attacks emerge; stay current
Example: Secure Chat Implementation
Resources
OWASP LLM Top 10
Learn more about LLM security risks