AI Startup Security Checklist (2026): From DNS to Prompt Injection

Published February 4, 2026 ยท 12 min read

AI Startup Security Checklist (2026): From DNS to Prompt Injection

AI startups ship quickly, but security debt compounds quickly too. This checklist is designed for small teams that need production safety without heavy process.

Phase 1: Baseline Web Security

  • Enforce HTTPS and valid certificates.
  • Configure core security headers.
  • Remove public debug and docs endpoints.
  • Validate DNS email auth (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
  • Verify blacklist and phishing exposure signals.

    • Use:

    Phase 2: Secret and Key Safety

  • Scan exposed API keys in every release.
  • Remove secrets from client bundles and source maps.
  • Rotate keys with ownership and expiry metadata.

    • Phase 3: AI-Specific Controls

  • Apply prompt injection allow/deny rules.
  • Isolate retrieval per tenant and data class.
  • Gate tool actions with deterministic policy checks.
  • Add human confirmation for destructive actions.

    • Phase 4: Monitoring and Response

  • Track blocked tool calls and policy violations.
  • Alert on unusual token burn and key usage.
  • Keep rollback procedures tested and documented.

    • Recommended Reading

    FAQ

    Do we need enterprise tooling to start?

    No. Start with strong defaults, explicit policy checks, and clear logging.

    What should we prioritize first?

    Secrets and transport first, then AI control-plane safety.

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