# What is RAG and Why It Introduces New Risk

> Understand the core components of Retrieval-Augmented Generation and why it fundamentally expands the AI attack surface.

Canonical: https://codelivly.com/rooms/what-is-rag-and-why-it-introduces-new-risk
Last updated: 2026-10-12

| | |
|---|---|
| Level | Intermediate |
| Category | Cybersecurity |
| Lessons | 2 |
| Estimated time | 30 min |
| XP | 100 |

This module breaks down the anatomy of a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipeline. You will learn what RAG is, how it functions, and exactly why it expands the attack surface beyond the base language model itself. We will explore the new trust boundaries introduced when external data is ingested, embedded, and retrieved, setting the foundation for advanced RAG-specific attacks.

## Lessons

1. What is RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) (30 min)
2. Why RAG Expands the Attack Surface Beyond the Model Itself (30 min)

## Related

- [Learning path: RAG and Vector Database Attacks](https://codelivly.com/learning-paths/rag-and-vector-database-attacks)
- [All rooms](https://codelivly.com/rooms)