What Happened
OWASP just published their top 10 risks for agentic AI applications, and the results should make every orchestrator pay attention. Prompt injection is still the number one vulnerability — with attacks up 340% in 2026.
But the list goes beyond prompt injection. Attackers are exploiting AI agents through malicious MCP servers, unexpected code execution, and techniques that expose sensitive data and enable unauthorized access.
The Top Threats
- #1 Prompt Injection — attacks up 340%, still the highest-severity vulnerability
- Malicious MCP Servers — poisoned tool servers that exfiltrate data
- Unexpected Code Execution — agents running arbitrary code without sandboxing
- Data Exfiltration — agents inadvertently leaking sensitive context
- Excessive Permissions — agents with more access than they need
Why Orchestrators Must Care
If you're building multi-agent systems, every agent in your pipeline is an attack surface. A single compromised MCP server can inject instructions that propagate through your entire workflow. A poorly scoped agent can access data it was never meant to see.
Security isn't a feature you bolt on at the end. It's a design principle that shapes how you build from day one.
What to Do About It
Validate every MCP server you connect to. Scope agent permissions to the minimum required. Sandbox code execution. And assume that every piece of external data an agent ingests could contain injection attempts.
Our AI Security course covers all of this in depth. Learn to build secure agents.