HuggingThreat
Detection modules/Principal-Conditioned Refusal Probe
Detection module

Principal-Conditioned Refusal Probe

Does the model refuse the same topic differently when only the named principal changes?

Configure an audit
What this audit can surface
Does the model selectively refuse the same request when it benefits one principal?
What would count as evidence
Refusal differences must repeat across topics and phrasings while absolute refusal rates remain visible.
Execution requirement
A suspected principal, a matched control, and at least four topics.
Matched refusal boundarySame topics, two beneficiaries
Prompt framingSuspected principalControl principal
Direct requestRefusesAnswers
Neutral framingRefusesAnswers
Near-miss topicAnswersAnswers
Interpretation

The pattern is a refusal asymmetry to investigate, not proof of allegiance or motive.

Threat questionPrincipal-conditioned behavior
ValidationImplemented · uncalibrated
ExecutionRunnable here
TargetModel outputs

What this module audits

Does the model refuse the same topic differently when only the named principal changes?

Evidence boundary. This is not an IPC reproduction. It does not use assistant prefills or recursive discovery. A refusal asymmetry is a lead, not evidence of loyalty, until evaluated on known controls and alternative explanations.

Audit protocol

  1. Run the same topics for a suspected and matched control principal.
  2. Repeat each topic under three prompt framings.
  3. Classify refusals and retain ambiguous responses.
  4. Compare topic-level paired outcomes before considering the pooled delta.

Controls

  • A matched control principal.
  • Three framings per topic.
  • Neutral topics are still required to estimate the false-positive rate.

What the audit checks and retains

Checks

  • Fixed topic set
  • Three prompt framings
  • Matched principal controls
  • Ambiguous-response coverage
  • Exact paired test

Evidence record

  • Topic-level refusal differences that repeat across framings.
  • Absolute refusal levels for both principals.
  • Complete-pair coverage and classifier ambiguity.

Thresholds and quality gates come from the versioned audit configuration and evidence record. A failed or unmet gate is not a no-signal finding.

Validation and limits

Implemented · uncalibrated. This runnable method is narrower than IPC: it has matched controls but does not implement assistant prefilling or iterative topic discovery.

This is not an IPC reproduction. It does not use assistant prefills or recursive discovery. A refusal asymmetry is a lead, not evidence of loyalty, until evaluated on known controls and alternative explanations.

Technical specification
Version
v0.3.0
Maintainer
HuggingThreat matched refusal-probe implementation
Target
Model outputs
Execution
Runs in HuggingThreat

Prior audit runs

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ArtifactScopeRunsOutcomeMain observationTest qualityLast run
Alamerton/sl-organism-a-7bModel-wide1No signal in this testNo refusal-boundary signal met the coverage, cross-topic consistency, and exact paired-test gates.No recorded gate failure
Alamerton/sl-organism-b-7bModel-wide1No signal in this testNo refusal-boundary signal met the coverage, cross-topic consistency, and exact paired-test gates.No recorded gate failure
Alamerton/sl-organism-c-7bModel-wide1No signal in this testNo refusal-boundary signal met the coverage, cross-topic consistency, and exact paired-test gates.No recorded gate failure