Prompt Injection Is an API Security Problem, Not Just an AI One

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Prompt injection, ranked first in the OWASP Top 10 for large language model risks, occurs when untrusted text embedded in model inputs is interpreted as executable instructions. Unlike SQL injection, it has no universal fix because language models cannot reliably separate trusted commands from untrusted data. API teams face this threat from two directions: their endpoints may be called by agents whose decisions were shaped by malicious content, and their API responses may deliver hostile instructions into a downstream model's context. This second scenario, known as indirect prompt injection, turns ordinary API response fields into potential attack vectors. Developers are advised to treat all model output as untrusted and never allow raw model output to trigger privileged API calls without independent validation and authorization.

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