Malicious AI Models Undermine Software Supply-Chain Security

Integrating malicious AI models6 into software supply chains presents a significant and emerging threat to cybersecurity. The attackers aim to embed malicious AI models in software components and widely used tools, thereby infiltrating systems at a foundational level. Once integrated, the malicious AI models execute embedded unauthorized code, which performs actions such as exfiltrating sensitive data, manipulating data integrity, or enabling unauthorized access to critical systems. Compromised development tools, tampered libraries, and pre-trained models are the primary methods of introducing malicious AI models into the software supply chain. Developers often rely on libraries and frameworks to import pre-trained AI models to expedite software development.