OWASP LLM Top 10 Walkthrough

The OWASP LLM Top 10 walkthrough is the ten risks, each with its fix and its sentence for the interview (L326) — the ten (LLM01 the prompt injection L309, LLM02 the sensitive information disclosure L312, LLM03 the supply chain L326, LLM04 the data and the model poisoning L316, LLM05 the improper output handling L326, LLM06 the excessive agency L314, LLM07 the system prompt leakage L326, LLM08 the vector and the embedding weaknesses L316, LLM09 the misinformation L326, LLM10 the unbounded consumption L317, L326) — each mapped to the defense (L325) and each with the one-sentence answer (L326).

The one-sentence interview answer: "The OWASP LLM Top 10 is the shared map of the LLM risks (L326). The ten (L326): LLM01 the prompt injection (L309) — the model follows the attacker's instructions — the fix: the input checks (L281) and the data-as-data (L311); LLM02 the sensitive information disclosure (L312) — the data in the responses and the logs — the fix: the redaction (L313) and the isolation (L320); LLM03 the supply chain (L326) — the compromised models and the plugins — the fix: the pinned versions (L293) and the scans (L293); LLM04 the data and the model poisoning (L316) — the malicious document (L316) — the fix: the vetting (L316) and the isolation (L320); LLM05 the improper output handling (L326) — the raw output executed — the fix: the output checks (L281) and the sandbox (L315); LLM06 the excessive agency (L314) — the agent with too much power — the fix: the least privilege (L314) and the approvals (L324); LLM07 the system prompt leakage (L326) — the system revealed — the fix: the separation (L309) and the checks (L281); LLM08 the vector and the embedding weaknesses (L316) — the poisoned vectors — the fix: the vetting (L316) and the filters (L189); LLM09 the misinformation (L326) — the hallucinated or the poisoned output — the fix: the grounding (L280) and the evals (L341); LLM10 the unbounded consumption (L317) — the quota burned — the fix: the rate limits (L318) and the quotas (L149). Each risk (L326) maps to the defense in depth (L325): the guardrails (L281), the tools (L323), the isolation (L320), and the audit (L322). The checklist, walked through (L326)."

Think of the OWASP LLM Top 10 as the castle's inspection checklist. The inspector (the architect, L326) walks the castle (the AI app, L173) with the checklist (L326): the ten items (L326) — the letters (the injection, L309), the copies (the disclosure, L312), the supplies (the supply chain, L326), the poisoned books (the poisoning, L316), the unsealed replies (the output, L326), the master keys (the agency, L314), the wall's plans (the system prompt, L326), the archives (the vectors, L316), the false reports (the misinformation, L326), and the feasts (the consumption, L317). For each (L326): the inspector names the risk (L326), checks the wall (the fix, L326), and writes the line (the sentence, L326). The castle works because the checklist is shared, and every item has its wall (L326).

   the checklist (the OWASP Top 10, L326)
   ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
   │ the ten items (L326) — each with its risk (L326), its  │
   │ fix (L326), and its sentence (L326)                    │
   │ the walls (the defenses, L325) — the guardrails        │
   │ (L281), the tools (L323), the isolation (L320)         │
   │ the inspector (the architect, L326) — walks the castle │
   └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

The mental model is the checklist: the ten items, the walls, and the inspector (L326).

   LLM01 prompt injection (L309)  ──► the input checks (L281), the separation (L309)
   LLM02 sensitive disclosure (L312) ─► the redaction (L313), the isolation (L320)
   LLM03 supply chain (L326)     ──► the pins (L293), the scans (L293)
   LLM04 poisoning (L316)        ──► the vetting (L316), the per-tenant (L320)
   LLM05 improper output (L326)  ──► the output checks (L281), the sandbox (L315)
   LLM06 excessive agency (L314) ──► the least privilege (L314), the approvals (L324)
   LLM07 system prompt leak (L326) ─► the separation (L309), the checks (L281)
   LLM08 vector weaknesses (L316) ─► the vetting (L316), the filters (L189)
   LLM09 misinformation (L326)   ──► the grounding (L280), the evals (L341)
   LLM10 unbounded consumption (L317) ─► the rate limits (L318), the quotas (L149)

The flow is the map: each risk to its fix (L326).

• LLM01 the prompt injection (L309). The model follows the attacker's instructions (L309) — the fix: the input checks (L281) and the data-as-data (L311).
• LLM02 the sensitive information disclosure (L312). The data in the responses and the logs (L312) — the fix: the redaction (L313) and the isolation (L320).
• LLM03 the supply chain (L326). The compromised models and the plugins (L326) — the fix: the pins (L293) and the scans (L293).
• LLM04 the data and the model poisoning (L316). The malicious document (L316) — the fix: the vetting (L316) and the isolation (L320).
• LLM05 the improper output handling (L326). The raw output executed (L326) — the fix: the output checks (L281) and the sandbox (L315).
• LLM06 the excessive agency (L314). The agent with too much power (L314) — the fix: the least privilege (L314) and the approvals (L324).
• LLM07 the system prompt leakage (L326). The system revealed (L326) — the fix: the separation (L309) and the checks (L281).
• LLM08 the vector and the embedding weaknesses (L316). The poisoned vectors (L316) — the fix: the vetting (L316) and the filters (L189).
• LLM09 the misinformation (L326). The hallucinated or the poisoned output (L326) — the fix: the grounding (L280) and the evals (L341).
• LLM10 the unbounded consumption (L317). The quota burned (L317) — the fix: the rate limits (L318) and the quotas (L149).

• A production AI SaaS (L357). The OWASP checklist (L326) reviewed (L326) before the launch (L307).
• A security review (L308). The ten (L326) walked (L326) — the fixes (L326) verified (L326).
• A regulated workload (L371). The OWASP (L326) as the compliance's (L371) evidence (L371).
• An interview (L326). The ten sentences (L326) — the vocabulary (L326) of the AI security round (L326).
• Anything AI (L326). The checklist (L326) — the ten risks and their fixes (L326).

The through-line: the checklist is the shared map — the ten, each with its fix and its sentence (L326).

Say it in four moves:

1. The ten. "LLM01 through LLM10 (L326)."
2. The fixes. "Each mapped to the defense (L326)."
3. The stack. "The guardrails (L281), the tools (L323), the isolation (L320)."
4. The sentence. "The one-liner per risk (L326)."

• The ten are the interview's vocabulary (L326). The named risks (L326) — the sentences (L326) — the AI security round's (L326) fluency (L326).
• The fixes are the stack's (L325). Each risk (L326) → the layer (L325) — the checklist (L326) is the defense in depth (L325), itemized (L326).
• The overlap is the depth (L326). The injection (L309) and the vectors (L316) — the same fix (L316), the layered (L325).
• The compliance is the checklist's use (L371). The OWASP (L326) reviewed (L326) — the evidence (L371) for the SOC 2 (L371).
• The walkthrough is the review's (L326). The ten (L326) walked (L326) — the gaps (L326) found (L326) before the launch (L307).

• The one-risk security (L326). The injection (L309) only (L326) — the other nine (L326) open (L326).
• The fix-less risk (L326). The named risk (L326) without the fix (L326) — the checklist (L326) is the risk plus the fix (L326).
• The sentence-less answer (L326). The rambling (L326) — the one-liner (L326) is the interview's (L326).
• The un-mapped fix (L326). The fix (L326) without the layer (L325) — the stack (L325) is where the fixes live (L326).
• The un-reviewed checklist (L326). The ten (L326) never walked (L326) — the review (L326) is the use (L326).

• Learn the ten (L326) — the names and the fixes (L326).
• Map each fix to the layer (L325) — the stack (L325).
• Practice the sentences (L326) — the one-liner per risk (L326).
• Walk the checklist (L326) — before the launch (L307).
• Document for the compliance (L371) — the evidence (L371).

Q: Walk me through the OWASP LLM Top 10.

A: The ten risks (L326): the prompt injection (L309), the sensitive disclosure (L312), the supply chain (L326), the poisoning (L316), the improper output (L326), the excessive agency (L314), the system prompt leakage (L326), the vector weaknesses (L316), the misinformation (L326), and the unbounded consumption (L317). Each with its fix (L326) in the defense in depth (L325).

Q: Give me the sentence for the prompt injection.

A: "The prompt injection (LLM01) is the attacker's instructions in the prompt (L309) — the fix is the input checks (L281) and the data-as-data (L311): the instructions and the data separated (L309), and the retrieved and the tool content treated as the untrusted data (L311)."

Q: What's the excessive agency's fix?

A: "The excessive agency (LLM06) is the agent that can do too much (L314) — the fix is the least privilege (L314): the scoped tools (L323), the read-only default (L314), the per-tenant scope (L320), and the human approval (L324) for the high-risk (L324)."

Q: How do the ten map to the stack?

A: Risk by risk (L326): the injection (L309) and the output (L326) → the guardrails (L281); the agency (L314) → the tool boundaries (L323) and the approvals (L324); the disclosure (L312) and the poisoning (L316) → the isolation (L320) and the vetting (L316); the misinformation (L326) → the grounding (L280) and the evals (L341); the consumption (L317) → the rate limits (L318). The checklist (L326) is the L325 stack (L325), itemized (L326).

• What are the ten (L326)?
• What's the sentence for the injection (L309)?
• What's the agency's fix (L314)?
• How do the ten map to the stack (L325)?
• What's the walkthrough for (L326)?

The senior read: the table is the interview — the risk, the sentence, the fix (L326).

// The OWASP walkthrough (L326) — the checklist in the review (L326).
const owaspChecklist = [
  // LLM01 — the injection (L309).
  { id: 'LLM01', risk: 'prompt-injection',
    fix:  () => guardrails.apply(input),           // L281
    sentence: 'the attacker\u2019s instructions in the prompt' },
  // LLM02 — the disclosure (L312).
  { id: 'LLM02', risk: 'sensitive-disclosure',
    fix:  () => redactPii(output),                 // L313
    sentence: 'the data in the responses and the logs' },
  // LLM03 — the supply chain (L326).
  { id: 'LLM03', risk: 'supply-chain',
    fix:  () => scanImage(image),                  // L293
    sentence: 'the compromised model or plugin' },
  // LLM04 — the poisoning (L316).
  { id: 'LLM04', risk: 'data-poisoning',
    fix:  () => vetDocument(doc),                  // L316
    sentence: 'the malicious document in the knowledge base' },
  // LLM05 — the output (L326).
  { id: 'LLM05', risk: 'improper-output',
    fix:  () => sandboxRun(output),                // L315
    sentence: 'the raw output executed' },
  // LLM06 — the agency (L314).
  { id: 'LLM06', risk: 'excessive-agency',
    fix:  () => scopeTools(tools),                 // L323
    sentence: 'the agent that can do too much' },
  // LLM07 — the system prompt (L326).
  { id: 'LLM07', risk: 'system-prompt-leak',
    fix:  () => separateInstructions(prompt),      // L309
    sentence: 'the system prompt revealed' },
  // LLM08 — the vectors (L316).
  { id: 'LLM08', risk: 'vector-weakness',
    fix:  () => filterRetrieval(query),            // L189
    sentence: 'the poisoned vectors' },
  // LLM09 — the misinformation (L326).
  { id: 'LLM09', risk: 'misinformation',
    fix:  () => evalGroundedness(output),          // L341
    sentence: 'the hallucinated or poisoned output' },
  // LLM10 — the consumption (L317).
  { id: 'LLM10', risk: 'unbounded-consumption',
    fix:  () => rateLimit(key),                    // L318
    sentence: 'the quota burned' },
];

// THE WALKTHROUGH (L326): each risk checked (L326) before the launch (L307).

What the reader must SEE — the checklist, applied:

  LLM01 → guardrails      LLM06 → scopeTools
  LLM02 → redactPii       LLM07 → separateInstructions
  LLM03 → scanImage       LLM08 → filterRetrieval
  LLM04 → vetDocument     LLM09 → evalGroundedness
  LLM05 → sandboxRun      LLM10 → rateLimit

  The ten risks, each with its fix and its sentence (L326).

• The walkthrough is the review's speed (L326). The checklist (L326) — the review (L326) reads the ten (L326), not the whole app (L326).
• The fixes are the latency's sum (L326). The guardrails (L281) and the checks (L315) — the sub-millisecond (L326) each (L326).
• The evals are the deploy's gate (L341). The misinformation (L326) — the groundedness (L337) in the CI (L296).
• The consumption is the cost's bound (L317). The rate limits (L318) and the quotas (L149) — the bill (L334) bounded (L326).

• The OWASP LLM Top 10 = the checklist (L326): the ten risks, each with its fix and its sentence.
• LLM01–LLM10: the injection (L309) → the consumption (L317).
• Each fix: mapped to the layer (L325).
• Each sentence: the one-liner for the interview (L326).
• The walkthrough: the ten checked before the launch (L307).

OWASP LLM TOP 10 = the ten risks, their fixes, their sentences

LLM01 the prompt injection (L309) — the checks (L281), the separation (L309)
LLM02 the sensitive disclosure (L312) — the redaction (L313), the isolation (L320)
LLM03 the supply chain (L326) — the pins (L293), the scans (L293)
LLM04 the poisoning (L316) — the vetting (L316), the per-tenant (L320)
LLM05 the improper output (L326) — the checks (L281), the sandbox (L315)
LLM06 the excessive agency (L314) — the least privilege (L314), the approvals (L324)
LLM07 the system prompt leakage (L326) — the separation (L309), the checks (L281)
LLM08 the vector weaknesses (L316) — the vetting (L316), the filters (L189)
LLM09 the misinformation (L326) — the grounding (L280), the evals (L341)
LLM10 the unbounded consumption (L317) — the rate limits (L318), the quotas (L149)

THE MAP (L326)
  the ten → the layers (L325): the guardrails (L281), the tools
  (L323), the isolation (L320), the audit (L322)

INTERVIEW, 4 MOVES
  1 the ten   "LLM01 through LLM10 (L326)"
  2 the fixes "each mapped to the layer (L325)"
  3 the stack "the guardrails, the tools, the isolation (L325)"
  4 the sentence "the one-liner per risk (L326)"

You now hold the ten: the risks, the fixes, and the sentences — with the checklist walked and the stack mapped. The inspector's checklist is complete — and every item has its wall (L326).

Next: the capstone — Securing the RAG + Agent Stack (L327).