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Is your vibe-coded app secure? A pre-launch checklist
AI coding tools write working code fast — and often without the protections a production app needs. These are the checks that matter most.
A vibe-coded app is secure enough to launch when every database table has access rules that stop users reading each other's data, no secrets are in the code, every API route checks who is calling it, inputs are validated on the server, security headers are set, error messages don't leak internals, and dependencies are up to date. Test each of these rather than assuming the AI did it.
The checks that matter most
- Data access: every table with user data has rules, and you've tested that user A cannot see user B's records.
- Secrets: no API keys, passwords or tokens in the code or the browser bundle; rotate any that ever were.
- Authentication and authorisation: every protected API route checks both who the user is and whether they may do this action.
- Input validation: all input is validated on the server, and database queries are parameterised.
- Payments and webhooks: webhook signatures are verified and payment amounts come from the server, not the browser.
- Headers and errors: HTTPS everywhere, security headers set, and error pages that don't show stack traces.
- Dependencies: packages are current and free of known critical vulnerabilities.
- Rate limiting: login and sign-up are protected against brute force.
Why AI-built apps miss these
AI tools optimise for code that works in the preview. Access rules, secret handling and authorisation are invisible when you're the only user — so they are easy to skip and hard to notice until someone else's data leaks.
How Vibe96 checks the apps we sell
Every app listed on Vibe96 is scanned for security and code-quality problems and reviewed by a person before it can be sold. Listings show the review findings, so buyers know what they're getting. If you built your own app, expert hours can be used for a security review and fixes, with an approved estimate first.
Frequently asked questions
Are apps built with AI less secure?
Not inherently, but they often ship without the access rules, secret handling and authorisation checks a production app needs. Testing for those closes most of the gap.
What is the most common security problem in vibe-coded apps?
Database access rules that are missing or too open, letting one user read or change another user's data.
Does Vibe96 audit every app it sells?
Yes. Each listing is scanned and reviewed by a person before it goes on sale, and the findings are shown on the listing.