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Garak vs. BastionLLM: When to Use Each LLM Security Tool in 2026
Both Garak and BastionLLM can detect prompt injection and jailbreak attacks, but they fit different teams and workflows. Here is when to choose each in 2026.
Table of Contents
You need to test your LLM for security vulnerabilities. Two tools dominate the conversation: Garak (NVIDIA's open-source framework) and BastionLLM (a developer-focused SaaS platform). Both detect prompt injection and jailbreak attacks, but they serve different workflows and team structures.
This comparison breaks down when each tool fits your development process, technical requirements, and team setup.
What Garak and BastionLLM Do
Garak is NVIDIA's open-source LLM security scanner that runs locally or in your infrastructure. You install it via pip, configure attack modules through Python or YAML files, and run scans against your models. It outputs detailed logs and supports extensive customization through its plugin architecture.
BastionLLM is a SaaS security testing tool that runs automated attack simulations against any LLM API endpoint. You point it at your endpoint URL, configure payload schema and response parsing, then run scans covering OWASP LLM01 attacks. It returns pass/fail verdicts with raw responses and supports scheduled weekly scans.
Both tools detect prompt injection, jailbreaks, and system prompt leaks. The difference lies in deployment, ongoing maintenance, and integration with your development workflow.
Setup and Configuration
Garak Setup
Garak requires local installation and configuration management. You install dependencies, configure attack modules, and manage output parsing yourself. Teams with existing DevOps infrastructure can integrate it into CI/CD pipelines, but this requires scripting and maintenance.
The tool expects you to handle authentication, rate limiting, and error handling. You write configuration files specifying which attacks to run and how to parse responses. Updates require pulling new versions and testing compatibility with your setup.
BastionLLM Setup
BastionLLM requires only endpoint configuration through a web interface. You enter your API URL, specify payload schema (JSON or streaming formats like SSE/NDJSON), and configure response parsing rules. Authentication works with API keys or challenge tokens.
The platform handles rate limiting, error recovery, and attack orchestration automatically. Updates deploy without user intervention. You can start testing within minutes of signup.
Attack Coverage Comparison
Garak Attack Framework
Garak provides comprehensive attack coverage through modular plugins. Attack categories include prompt injection variants, jailbreak attempts, toxicity probes, and model-specific exploits. The framework supports custom attack development through Python plugins.
NVIDIA maintains attack modules based on research and community contributions. You can extend coverage by writing custom probes or importing community-developed attacks. The framework includes attacks targeting specific model families and deployment patterns.
BastionLLM Attack Groups
BastionLLM covers OWASP LLM01 compliance through six attack groups: promptinject, lmrc, goodside, latentinjection, prefix, and webinjection. These groups target direct and indirect prompt injection, DAN attacks, role-play manipulation, and system prompt leak detection.
The attack framework draws inspiration from Garak while focusing on the most common production vulnerabilities. Coverage includes jailbreak attacks, safety bypass attempts, and connectivity verification. Attack updates deploy automatically without configuration changes.
Continuous Monitoring Capabilities
Garak Monitoring
Garak runs on-demand through command-line execution or CI/CD integration. Continuous monitoring requires scripting scheduled runs, managing output storage, and handling failure notifications. You build monitoring infrastructure around the tool.
Teams typically integrate Garak into existing security workflows through Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or custom automation. This approach works well for teams with established DevOps practices but requires ongoing maintenance.
BastionLLM Monitoring
BastionLLM provides built-in weekly automated scans with no additional setup. You configure scan schedules through the web interface, and the platform handles execution, storage, and alerting automatically.
Scan history persists for up to one year with exportable reports in PDF and JSON formats. Failed scans trigger notifications, and you can review historical trends through the dashboard. The platform maintains continuous coverage without manual intervention.
Endpoint Compatibility
Garak Endpoint Support
Garak supports various model types through provider-specific integrations. You configure endpoints for OpenAI, Anthropic, Hugging Face, and local models through provider classes. Each provider requires specific configuration and authentication handling.
The tool works with both API endpoints and locally hosted models. Custom endpoint support requires writing provider plugins or adapting existing ones. Response parsing varies by provider and may need customization.
BastionLLM Endpoint Support
BastionLLM works with any LLM endpoint regardless of provider through endpoint-agnostic configuration. You specify URL, payload schema, and response parsing rules without provider-specific setup.
The platform supports JSON and streaming formats including SSE and NDJSON. Authentication handles API keys and challenge tokens universally. You can test OpenAI, Anthropic, open-source models, or custom implementations using the same configuration approach.
Reporting and Output
Garak Output
Garak generates detailed logs with attack results, model responses, and scoring metrics. Output formats include JSON logs, HTML reports, and structured data for further analysis. You handle report generation, storage, and distribution.
The tool provides granular attack results with full request/response data. Custom reporting requires processing raw output through your own tooling. Integration with monitoring systems needs custom development.
BastionLLM Reporting
BastionLLM provides formatted reports with pass/fail verdicts, raw responses, and executive summaries. Reports export in PDF format for stakeholder review and JSON format for programmatic processing.
The platform includes scan history tracking, trend analysis, and automated report distribution. You can download reports immediately after scans complete or access historical data through the dashboard.
Cost and Licensing
Garak Costs
Garak is open-source and free to use. Costs include infrastructure for running scans, storage for results, and developer time for setup and maintenance. Teams need to factor in ongoing operational overhead.
Large-scale usage may require dedicated compute resources and monitoring infrastructure. The total cost of ownership includes both direct infrastructure costs and engineering time for integration and maintenance.
BastionLLM Pricing
BastionLLM offers a free tier with 1 saved endpoint and 25 attacks across all categories for manual runs. The Pro tier costs EUR 49/month (or EUR 449/year), tax included, and includes 3 saved endpoints, all attack groups, weekly automated scans, and 12-month history. The Pro plan includes a 30-day trial. A card is required at checkout; you are billed when the trial ends.
The flat-rate pricing model eliminates per-call costs and provides predictable budgeting. No enterprise contracts or sales processes are required for getting started.
When to Choose Garak
Choose Garak when you have established DevOps infrastructure and prefer open-source tools. It fits teams that need extensive customization, want to contribute to attack development, or require integration with existing security toolchains.
Garak works well for research teams, security-focused organizations, and developers comfortable with command-line tools and configuration management. The tool suits environments where you control the entire testing infrastructure and can dedicate engineering resources to maintenance.
Consider Garak if you need custom attack development, have specific compliance requirements that demand source code access, or operate in air-gapped environments where SaaS tools are not viable.
When to Choose BastionLLM
Choose BastionLLM when you need immediate security testing without infrastructure setup. It fits startup and scale-up development teams that ship LLM features quickly and need reliable security validation without operational overhead.
BastionLLM works well for backend and full-stack developers who build with OpenAI, Anthropic, or open-source models and need ongoing security coverage. The tool suits teams without dedicated security engineering resources or enterprise security budgets.
Consider BastionLLM if you want automated weekly scans, need endpoint-agnostic testing, or prefer flat-rate pricing over per-call costs. The platform fits teams that prioritize shipping speed while maintaining security standards.
Learn more about automated LLM security testing at bastionllm.com.
FAQs
Can I use both Garak and BastionLLM together?
Yes, many teams use Garak for custom attack development and research while using BastionLLM for ongoing automated monitoring. The tools complement each other in comprehensive security programs.
Which tool provides better OWASP LLM01 coverage?
Both tools cover OWASP LLM01 requirements. Garak offers more granular attack customization, while BastionLLM provides structured OWASP compliance reporting with automated coverage validation.
How do the tools handle different LLM providers?
Garak requires provider-specific configuration and may need custom adapters for new providers. BastionLLM works with any endpoint through universal configuration regardless of the underlying LLM provider.
What about false positive rates?
Both tools can generate false positives depending on configuration. Garak allows fine-tuning detection logic through custom scoring. BastionLLM provides regex and heuristic verdict options to reduce false positives in automated scans.
Which tool scales better for large teams?
Garak scales through infrastructure provisioning but requires coordination for shared configurations. BastionLLM scales through user management and team features without infrastructure complexity.
Can these tools test streaming responses?
Garak supports streaming through provider-specific implementations. BastionLLM natively supports SSE and NDJSON streaming formats with built-in parsing for real-time response analysis.
How often should I run security scans?
Garak runs on your schedule through CI/CD or manual execution. BastionLLM recommends weekly automated scans for continuous coverage, with additional manual scans before major releases.
Conclusion
Garak excels for teams with DevOps infrastructure who need customizable, open-source security testing. BastionLLM fits development teams that want automated, ongoing security validation without operational complexity.
Your choice depends on team structure, technical requirements, and operational preferences. Both tools detect the same core vulnerabilities but serve different workflows and organizational needs.
Start with your team's current capabilities and growth trajectory. Choose the tool that fits your development process today while supporting your security requirements tomorrow.
OWASP LLM Top 10: Complete Security Guide
Get the full reference for prompt injection attacks, LLM jailbreaks, system prompt leaks, and OWASP-aligned testing workflows in one pillar guide.
Read the OWASP LLM Top 10 guide