The promise of AI integration within enterprise platforms like ServiceNow offers unparalleled efficiency and automation. However, even the most sophisticated systems can harbor subtle yet significant vulnerabilities. Recent discoveries highlight a critical flaw in ServiceNow’s Now Assist AI platform, exposing organizations to second-order prompt injection attacks through seemingly innocuous default configurations. This isn’t just about chatbot manipulation; it’s a gateway to serious security breaches, including data theft and privilege escalation, even when built-in protections are active.

Understanding this vulnerability is paramount for any organization leveraging or planning to deploy ServiceNow’s AI capabilities. This post will dissect the mechanics of this threat, outline its potential impact, and provide clear, actionable remediation strategies to safeguard your enterprise.

The Core Vulnerability: Default Configurations and Second-Order Prompt Injection

The identified security flaw in ServiceNow’s Now Assist AI assistants isn’t due to a single, easily patched bug, but rather a dangerous confluence of three default configuration settings. When combined, these settings create an opening for what’s known as a second-order prompt injection attack. Unlike direct prompt injection, where an attacker directly manipulates a prompt, second-order attacks involve embedding malicious instructions into data that the AI later processes, unknowingly executing the attacker’s commands.

Even with ServiceNow’s inherent prompt injection protection mechanisms enabled, these default configurations bypass safeguards, allowing unauthorized actions. This highlights a critical lesson: default settings, while convenient, must always be scrutinized for their security implications within your specific operational context.

Understanding Second-Order Prompt Injection in ServiceNow AI

In a typical second-order prompt injection scenario within ServiceNow Now Assist, an attacker might feed malicious data into the AI through seemingly legitimate channels. For instance, they could embed hidden commands within a support ticket description, a knowledge base article, or even an email processed by the system. Later, when the AI agent accesses and processes this data to fulfill a user request, it unwittingly executes the embedded malicious prompt.

The danger is amplified by the fact that the initial injection point might not immediately trigger an alert. The malicious payload lies dormant within the system until the AI processes the compromised data, making detection challenging without specific vigilance.

Potential Impacts: Data Exfiltration, Privilege Escalation, and More

The consequences of a successful second-order prompt injection attack via these ServiceNow default configurations are severe and far-reaching. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to:

• Data Theft: Exfiltrate sensitive corporate data, including confidential PII, financial records, or intellectual property, potentially even from external email systems integrated with ServiceNow.
• Privilege Escalation: Gain elevated access within the ServiceNow environment, allowing them to manipulate system settings, view restricted information, or create unauthorized accounts.
• Unauthorized Actions: Trigger automated workflows, send internal communications, or modify records without legitimate authorization, disrupting business operations.
• System Manipulation: Direct the AI to perform harmful or undesirable actions, damaging data integrity or operational continuity.

The ability to bypass existing prompt injection protections makes this particular vulnerability exceptionally concerning, necessitating immediate attention and remediation.

Remediation Actions

Addressing this vulnerability requires a proactive approach to reviewing and modifying default ServiceNow configurations. While a specific CVE number for this particular flaw is not yet widely publicized, organizations should treat this as a high-priority concern due to the direct impact on data security and system integrity. The cybersecurity news report (https://cybersecuritynews.com/hackers-exploit-servicenow-ai-assistants/) linked provides further context on the nature of the exploit.

Here are the crucial steps to mitigate the risk:

• Review Default AI Agent Configurations: Conduct a thorough audit of all default settings related to ServiceNow Now Assist AI agents. Identify and understand the function of each configuration that influences how the AI processes and acts upon data.
• Restrict AI Assistant Privileges: Implement the principle of least privilege for all AI assistants. Ensure that AI agents only have the minimum necessary permissions to perform their intended functions. This limits the blast radius if an injection attack occurs.
• Enhanced Input Validation: While ServiceNow has built-in protections, layering additional, custom input validation at various stages can help catch malicious prompts before the AI processes them. Focus on inputs from external sources or user-generated content.
• Monitor AI Agent Activity: Implement robust logging and monitoring for all AI agent interactions and actions. Look for anomalous behavior, unusual data access patterns, or unexpected system modifications as potential indicators of compromise.
• Prompt Engineering Best Practices: Train your AI models and design prompts with security in mind. This includes carefully defining boundaries, explicit instructions, and sanitizing outputs to prevent unintended actions based on injected instructions.
• Stay Updated: Regularly apply ServiceNow updates and patches. Stay informed about security advisories released by ServiceNow regarding their AI platform.

Tools for Detection and Mitigation

While direct tools for this specific prompt injection flaw may be limited, general cybersecurity practices and tools will contribute significantly to your overall defense posture.

Tool Name	Purpose	Link
ServiceNow Security Incident Response (SIR)	Detects, analyzes, and responds to security incidents within the ServiceNow platform.	ServiceNow SIR
ServiceNow Audit Logs	Provides a detailed record of system activities, user actions, and configuration changes. Essential for forensic analysis.	ServiceNow Audit Logs Documentation
Splunk / SIEM Solutions	Centralized logging and security information and event management. Consolidates logs from ServiceNow and other systems for threat detection.	Splunk
Web Application Firewalls (WAF)	Although targeted at web traffic, some advanced WAFs can offer protection against certain forms of input manipulation before requests reach the application.	Cloudflare WAF

Conclusion

The discovery of second-order prompt injection vulnerabilities in ServiceNow Now Assist AI, stemming from default configurations, underscores a critical aspect of modern enterprise security: that convenience must never come at the expense of vigilance. Organizations relying on or planning to adopt ServiceNow’s AI capabilities must immediately assess and harden their environments. By meticulously reviewing default settings, implementing the principle of least privilege, enhancing monitoring, and staying informed, IT and security teams can effectively mitigate the risks posed by these sophisticated attacks. Proactive security measures are not just recommended; they are essential in safeguarding sensitive data and maintaining operational integrity against ever-evolving cyber threats.