Module 17 Lesson 4: AI Security Proxies
The intelligent firewall. Learn how to use Middleware and Proxies (like LiteLLM, Portkey) to centralize security, logging, and access control for all your AI models.
Module 17 Lesson 4: Middleware and proxy security for LLMs
In a large company, you might have 100 different apps talking to OpenAI. You can't secure each one individually. You need a Proxy.
1. What is an AI Proxy?
A proxy is a server that sits between your code and the AI Provider.
- The Workflow:
Code -> Proxy -> AI Provider. - The Benefit: The Proxy handles the Keys, the Logs, and the Security Filters in one place.
2. Using LiteLLM for Security
LiteLLM is a popular proxy that allows you to translate between different model APIs (e.g., using OpenAI code to talk to Anthropic).
- Security Feature 1: Load Balancing: If one model provider is compromised or down, the proxy automatically switches to a safer alternative.
- Security Feature 2: Shared Secrets: Your apps talk to the Proxy using a "Temp Key," while the Proxy uses the "Real Keys" to talk to the AI.
3. The "Semantic Firewall" Middleware
You can insert custom Middleware into the proxy to check prompts.
- Workflow:
- Proxy receives prompt.
- Middleware calls a "Toxicity Scanner."
- If toxic, the Proxy blocks the request and gives an error.
- This ensures that every app in your company is protected by the same toxicity standards, regardless of how it was coded.
4. Caching and Anonymization
- Caching: If two users ask the same question, the proxy returns the cached answer from its own database.
- Security Benefit: Reduced cost and reduced exposure (the question is only sent to the AI provider once).
- Anonymization: The proxy can automatically replace names and locations with generic placeholders before sending the prompt to the AI.
Exercise: The Proxy Architect
- Why is a "Centralized Proxy" easier to audit than 100 separate app logs?
- What is the "Single Point of Failure" risk of using a proxy?
- How can a proxy help you "Switch Providers" if one provider (e.g., OpenAI) changes their privacy policy to something you don't like?
- Research: What is "LLM Gateway" by Portkey and what security features does it offer?
Summary
Proxies move security from the App Layer to the Infrastructure Layer. By centralizing the gateway to the AI, you ensure that your security policies are enforced consistently across your entire organization.
Next Lesson: Cracking the glue: Testing framework-specific exploits.