Securing AI Systems: A Guide to Known Attacks and Impacts

Abstract: Embedded into information systems, AI faces security threats that exploit AI-specific vulnerabilities. This paper provides an accessible overview of adversarial attacks unique to predictive and generative AI systems. We identify eleven major attack types and explicitly link attack techniques to their impacts -- including information leakage, system compromise, and resource exhaustion -- mapped to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) security triad. We aim to equip researchers, developers, security practitioners, and policymakers, even those without specialized AI security expertise, with foundational knowledge to recognize AI-specific risks and implement effective defenses, thereby enhancing the overall security posture of AI systems.