Vibe Coding Security Risks and How to Avoid Them
AI tools write code that works but often skips security. The most common problems are simple and fixable: database rules left open, secret keys visible in the browser, and login checks done only on the screen.
Is vibe coding safe?
Vibe coding is safe for prototypes, but AI-generated apps often ship with security gaps. Veracode’s 2025 study found 45% of AI-generated code samples introduced OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities. The fix is a short checklist before real users arrive: database access rules, secret keys, login checks and input handling.
What are the most common risks?
The most common risks are the ones that expose data to anyone who looks: open database tables, secret keys in the browser, and permission checks that only happen on screen. Each has a simple check you can run yourself or ask a developer to run in an hour.
| Risk | What goes wrong | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Missing database access rules | Anyone with the public key can read or change data | Every table has access rules; test as a logged-out user |
| Exposed secret keys | Payment or AI API keys visible in browser code | Secret keys only on the server, never in front-end code |
| Login checked only on screen | Hidden pages still reachable by URL or API | Check permissions on the server for every request |
| Unsafe input handling | Cross-site scripting or injection | Ask for input validation; test with odd characters |
| Outdated packages | Known vulnerabilities in dependencies | Run dependency checks; update regularly |
What happened with database access rules?
A widely reported example involved Row Level Security, the database rules that decide who can read which rows. Supabase warns that a table in an exposed schema without RLS is readable and writable by any role with a grant on it. CVE-2025-48757, published May 2025, described insufficient RLS policies in Lovable-built apps (Supabase RLS docs; GitHub Advisory Database).
What should you check before launch?
Check these before any real user signs up. If you can’t check an item yourself, pay a developer for a few hours to do it; it is far cheaper than a breach, a rebuild, or explaining to customers why their data leaked.
- Every database table has access rules; try reading data while logged out.
- No secret keys appear in the browser’s developer tools.
- Every private page and API checks permissions on the server.
- Sign-up, password reset and email verification work and can’t be bypassed.
- Forms reject unexpected input and don’t display raw HTML.
- Backups are on and you’ve tested a restore.
- Error messages don’t reveal internal details.
Test as a stranger.
Before launch, try to break into your own app as a logged-out user. Whatever you can reach, an attacker can too.
Can you prompt the AI to be more secure?
You can ask the AI to add access rules, move keys to the server and validate input, and it helps, but don’t rely on it alone: Veracode found newer models weren’t more secure than older ones. Treat the OWASP Top 10 as your review list.
Source: Veracode, 2025 GenAI Code Security Report: code from more than 100 large language models across Java, Python, C# and JavaScript, published July 2025. Named, not linked.
Frequently asked questions
Is vibe coding safe?
For prototypes, yes. For real users, run a security checklist first; AI code often has gaps.
What is the biggest security risk in vibe-coded apps?
Missing database access rules and exposed secret keys, which let anyone read or change data.
What is Row Level Security?
Database rules that control which rows each user can read or change. Supabase warns tables without it can be open.
What was CVE-2025-48757?
A vulnerability published in May 2025 describing insufficient Row Level Security policies in Lovable-built apps.
Can AI write secure code if I ask?
It helps, but Veracode found newer models weren’t more secure. Review the result.
Should I pay for a security review?
Yes, before real users’ data goes in, if you can’t check the list yourself.
Sources & further reading
Tool prices come from each vendor’s pricing page on the date shown and change often. Security guidance draws on OWASP and platform documentation.