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CurriculumT3 · Attacking AI SystemsPrompt Injection Fundamentals
T3Attacking AI Systems

Prompt Injection Fundamentals

How untrusted input becomes instructions, why the LLM can't tell data from commands, and the direct vs. indirect injection split that defines the attack surface.

Foundational2 min readfoundation streamUpdated Fri Jul 31 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Part ofStart Here: Free StarterSilver Path (SOCA)AI Offensive FoundationsAttacking AI Systems: StarterPrompt Injection Deep DiveAttacking AI Systems: Full TrackFrom Injection to AgentsThe Dual Mandate Intensive

Learning objectives

  • Explain why an LLM cannot reliably separate instructions from data
  • Distinguish direct from indirect prompt injection with a concrete example of each
  • Map an application's trust boundaries onto its prompt assembly

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