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AI Security

Interview question · How LLM Systems Work

Calling a hosted model API versus self-hosting open weights: what are the security trade-offs?

Neither option is simply safer. The answer that scores names who you are trusting in each case and which controls move from the provider to you.

mediumNewUpdated Nov 2026

Neither option is simply safer. The answer that scores names who you are trusting in each case and which controls move from the provider to you.

Make your first attempt

What would you say before reading the answer?

  1. 01 State the assumptions your answer depends on.
  2. 02 Explain the mechanism and choose a control.
  3. 03 Name a condition that would change your decision.

The worked answer includes an approach, scoring criteria and follow-up questions. Compare the reasoning with your own.

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What if · the follow-ups in this answer

The answer works through 5 follow-ups like an interviewer would

A fictional makerspace can use a managed model endpoint or operate an open-weight model in its own cloud account. Both would read member bookings and public equipment manuals.

  1. What if the self-hosted runtime sends request traces to an external monitoring service?
  2. What if the hosted primary route is approved but the fallback has different data terms?
  3. What if the downloaded weights use a data-only format but the repository requires custom code?
  4. What if an open-weight copy has already been distributed outside your service?
  5. What would make your hosting recommendation reviewable?

Each rung has a nudge, a model answer, the principle that carries over and the weak answer to avoid. Sign in free to open it.

UP NEXT ON YOUR JOURNEY
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