Definition
Plain language
The final moment in a multi-step attack after which it can no longer be stopped.
As stated in the literature
In the ClawTrojan/DASGuard analysis, the latest step in an attack chain at which a defense can still prevent compromise; single-step defenses repeatedly act after this point has passed because the backdoor was planted in persistent state earlier.
Why it matters: It highlights why defenses that act one step at a time can fail, since the damage was locked in earlier than the moment they check.
For example, once a hidden trap has already been planted in a system's saved state, a later safety check arrives too late to stop the eventual break-in.
Heard on the show
“And the authors have a name for the precise instant that matters — the last intervention point.”Episode 105 — The Trojan Is Your Agent's Memory: Why Single-Step Defenses Miss Persistent Attacks