AI Security Issues Are Social Engineering Issues

The author argues that prompt injection is essentially social engineering applied to silicon, since LLMs, like humans, can be tricked by smuggled instructions that exploit modeled empathy or trust. He contends that capability-based security, which gives each program only the authority it needs, is a necessary but insufficient fix, and notes that projects like CHERI, Fuchsia, Capsicum, Cap'n Proto and Spritely have laid the groundwork. He hopes AI's ability to re-engineer software will help move networks onto this firmer foundation, while stressing that human flaws must also be addressed.