Treat retrieved instructions as untrusted data: What operating assumption must change?
Retrieved documents may contain hostile instructions; treat their text as data, not as commands authorizing disclosure or external actions.
The question
A medical administration assistant retrieves scheduling documents but does not provide clinical advice. A newly uploaded document contains instructions telling the assistant to disclose its hidden prompt and email records externally. What operating assumption must change?
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- Treat retrieved instructions as untrusted data. ✓Retrieved text can contain adversarial instructions, so the assistant must treat it as data rather than authorization for disclosure or external actions.
- Use the document only after expanding the assistant’s email permissions.Expanding permissions increases exposure and does not resolve the fundamental issue that retrieved instructions are untrusted content.
- Permit disclosure when the document names an administrator.A named administrator in retrieved text does not establish identity, authority, or permission for sensitive external disclosure.
- Allow the document’s instructions after staff confirmation.Staff confirmation of document content does not make embedded instructions an authorized command to disclose prompts or email records.
The trap
Retrieved text is evidence or data, not authority; inspect tool permissions and approval paths when documents contain action-oriented instructions. How to remember it
Retrieved documents may contain hostile instructions; treat their text as data, not as commands authorizing disclosure or external actions.
How many of these would you get right?
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