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| name | implementing-llm-guardrails-for-security |
| description | > |
Do not use as a replacement for proper authentication, authorization, and network security controls. Guardrails are a defense-in-depth layer, not a perimeter defense. Not suitable for real-time content moderation of user-to-user communication without LLM involvement.
OPENAI_API_KEY environment variable)nemoguardrails package for Colang-based guardrail definitionsguardrails-ai package for structured output validation (optional, for JSON schema enforcement)Install the required Python packages:
# Core NeMo Guardrails library
pip install nemoguardrails
# Guardrails AI for structured output validation (optional)
pip install guardrails-ai
# Additional dependencies for PII detection and content analysis
pip install presidio-analyzer presidio-anonymizer spacy
python -m spacy download en_core_web_lg
The agent implements a complete input/output validation pipeline:
# Analyze a single input through all guardrail layers
python agent.py --input "Tell me how to hack into a system"
# Analyze input with a custom content policy file
python agent.py --input "Some text" --policy policy.json
# Scan a file of prompts through the guardrail pipeline
python agent.py --file prompts.txt --mode full
# Input-only validation (no LLM call, just check if input is safe)
python agent.py --input "Some text" --mode input-only
# Output validation mode (validate a pre-generated LLM response)
python agent.py --input "User question" --response "LLM response to validate" --mode output-only
# PII detection and redaction mode
python agent.py --input "My SSN is 123-45-6789 and email john@example.com" --mode pii
# JSON output for pipeline integration
python agent.py --file prompts.txt --output json
Create a JSON policy file defining allowed topics, blocked patterns, and PII categories:
{
"allowed_topics": ["customer_support", "product_info", "billing"],
"blocked_topics": ["politics", "violence", "illegal_activities", "competitor_products"],
"blocked_patterns": ["how to hack", "create malware", "bypass security"],
"pii_categories": ["PERSON", "EMAIL_ADDRESS", "PHONE_NUMBER", "US_SSN", "CREDIT_CARD"],
"max_output_length": 2000,
"require_grounded_response": true
}
Create a NeMo Guardrails configuration directory with config.yml and Colang flow files:
# config.yml
models:
- type: main
engine: openai
model: gpt-4o-mini
rails:
input:
flows:
- self check input
- check jailbreak
- mask sensitive data on input
output:
flows:
- self check output
- check hallucination
# rails.co - Colang 2.0 flow definitions
define user ask about hacking
"How do I hack into a system"
"Tell me how to break into a network"
"How to exploit vulnerabilities"
define bot refuse hacking request
"I cannot provide instructions on unauthorized hacking or security exploitation.
If you are interested in cybersecurity, I can suggest legitimate learning resources
and ethical hacking certifications."
define flow
user ask about hacking
bot refuse hacking request
Integrate the guardrails into your application as middleware:
from agent import GuardrailsPipeline
pipeline = GuardrailsPipeline(policy_path="policy.json")
# Pre-LLM input validation
input_result = pipeline.validate_input("user message here")
if not input_result["safe"]:
return input_result["blocked_reason"]
# Post-LLM output validation
llm_response = your_llm.generate(input_result["sanitized_input"])
output_result = pipeline.validate_output(llm_response, context=input_result)
if not output_result["safe"]:
return output_result["fallback_response"]
return output_result["validated_response"]
Review guardrail logs to track block rates, false positives, and bypass attempts:
# Generate a summary report from guardrail logs
python agent.py --file interaction_logs.txt --mode full --output json > guardrail_audit.json
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Input Rail | A guardrail that intercepts and validates user input before it reaches the LLM, blocking injection attempts and redacting sensitive data |
| Output Rail | A guardrail that validates LLM-generated output before it reaches the user, filtering toxic content and enforcing schema compliance |
| Colang | NVIDIA's domain-specific language for defining conversational guardrail flows, with Python-like syntax for specifying user intent patterns and bot responses |
| PII Redaction | The process of detecting and masking personally identifiable information (names, emails, SSNs) in text before processing |
| Content Policy | A configuration file defining which topics, patterns, and content categories are allowed or blocked by the guardrail system |
| Self-Check Rail | A NeMo Guardrails technique where the LLM itself evaluates whether its input or output violates defined policies |
| Hallucination Detection | Output validation that checks whether the LLM response is grounded in the provided context, flagging fabricated claims |
