AI Security — Quick Reference#

Common Interview Questions#

Q: What makes prompt injection harder to prevent than SQL injection? SQL injection is prevented by parameterized queries because SQL has a clear separation between code (query structure) and data (parameters). LLMs process both instructions and data as the same natural language — there is no structural separation. Defense relies on overlapping controls (structural prompting, input validation, output validation) rather than a single complete solution.

Q: A clinical AI system accidentally returns one patient's lab results in another patient's query. What type of incident is this and what are the first response steps? This is a HIPAA breach (PHI disclosed to an unauthorized party) — classify as P1. Immediately: disable the affected AI feature, notify the Privacy Officer, identify the root cause (likely session state mixing or prompt cache misconfiguration), confirm scope (how many patients affected, over what time period), initiate HIPAA breach notification process (notification required within 60 days if breach is confirmed).

Q: What does the EU AI Act require for clinical decision support AI? Clinical decision support is classified as high-risk AI under Annex III. Requirements include: risk management system, data governance documentation, transparency (disclosure to users), human oversight mechanism (ability to override AI), accuracy/robustness requirements, conformity assessment before market deployment, and post-market monitoring. CE marking required for compliance.