LLMs Are a New Type of Insider Adversary: Understanding the Security Risks of AI

As Artificial Intelligence continues to revolutionize industries, Large Language Models (LLMs) are increasingly being integrated into various business processes. From chatbots that handle customer service inquiries to AI systems that draft legal documents, LLMs have proven to be invaluable tools. However, with these advancements come new and unforeseen risks, particularly in the realm of cybersecurity.

One such risk is that LLMs represent a new type of insider adversary. These AI models, due to their access to sensitive information and their ability to generate human-like responses, can be exploited by malicious actors. In this article, we will explore how LLMs pose security risks, how they can be manipulated or misused, and what organizations can do to mitigate these threats.

What Are Large Language Models (LLMs)?

Large Language Models (LLMs) are sophisticated AI systems trained on vast amounts of text data. They are designed to understand, generate, and manipulate human language in ways that mimic natural conversation. Some well-known LLMs include GPT-4, developed by OpenAI, and BERT from Google.

These models work by processing and learning patterns in text data. With this ability, they can perform a…