A prompt workflow is the sequence of entering instructions into an AI tool, waiting for the model’s output, and then reviewing or acting on the result. In practice, it includes every step between the user’s input and the final decision based on the AI response. This matters in cybersecurity because that workflow is where trust, attention, and verification all happen.
Attackers try to exploit prompt workflows by slipping in misleading instructions, prompt injection text, or interface elements that make users accept unsafe output too quickly. Defenders use the same workflow to reduce risk: they separate system messages from user content, require human review of important outputs, and verify results against trusted sources. In AI tools, security is often less about the model alone and more about how people move through the prompt, output, and review cycle.