data poisoning

noun

The deliberate use of a training dataset with data designed to increase errors in the output of a machine learning model.

Meanings

noundata poisoning (countable and uncountable, plural data poisonings)

plural data poisonings

  1. countableuncountablemachine learning; computer security; machine learning; computer securityThe deliberate use of a training dataset with data designed to increase errors in the output of a machine learning model.

    While data sanitization shows promise to defend against data poisoning, it is often impossible to validate every data source [14].

    2019, Simon N. Foley, editor, Data and Applications Security and Privacy XXXIII […] , Springer, →ISBN, page 4
    3 more examples

    Similarly, the Tay chatbot suffered from data poisoning. To mitigate data poisoning, it is important not to let any one group contribute too much data to a model.

    2022, Alfred Z. Spector, Peter Norvig, Chris Wiggins, Jeannette M. Wing, Data Science in Context: Foundations, Challenges, Opportunities, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 148

    Data poisoning is one type of adversarial attack—where a user or group of users submit false data to influence the model toward a particular or incorrect prediction.

    2023, Katharine Jarmul, Practical Data Privacy, O'Reilly, →ISBN

    Some forms of data poisoning are undetectable. Attackers can insert adversarial noise into the training data, altering the training data in a way that is hidden to human observers.

    2023, Paul Scharre, Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, W. W. Norton & Company, →ISBN

    Synonyms: poisoning attack

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe deliberate use of a training dataset with data designed to increase errors in the output of a machine learning model.

Cite this entry
APA

data poisoning. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/data%20poisoning

MLA

“data poisoning.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/data%20poisoning. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “data poisoning,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/data%20poisoning.

Source: data poisoning on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.