AI supply chain attacks

In this episode, I discuss how all software is vulnerable to supply chain attacks, but I argue that AI is uniquely at risk. I explain that a traditional supply chain attack works by compromising the less-secure "links" in a trusted development process, such as third-party vendors or open-source components—rather than attacking a target directly. This allows malicious code to be delivered through legitimate updates, bypassing standard security defences. I cite the massive SolarWinds breach as a prime example, where attackers inserted a backdoor into a trusted software update, granting them remote access to thousands of secure networks.

I then shift focus to AI platforms, identifying their training data as the "weakest link" in their supply chain. I describe "data poisoning," a technique where attackers inject malicious content into the public data sources that AI models scrape for training. This can corrupt a model's knowledge or implant hidden backdoors, namely specific triggers that cause the AI to execute harmful instructions or bypass safety filters. I highlight real-world examples, such as "jailbreak prompts" found on forums and the "Nightshade" tool used by artists to disrupt image generators, concluding that relying on internet data inherently leaves AI models exposed to a "poisoned well."

Show notes are here: https://techleader.pro/a/714-AI-supply-chain-attacks-(TLP-2025w44)

Keywords:

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