The 7-Point Security Checklist Every Vibe Coder Needs Before Launch

You just built something incredible. Maybe it took you a weekend with Cursor, or an afternoon with Claude Code. The app works, it looks great, and you're ready to show it to the world. But before you hit deploy, there's one step most vibe coders skip — and it's the one that can turn a successful launch into a security nightmare.

Why AI-Generated Code Needs Extra Scrutiny

AI coding assistants are phenomenal at generating functional code fast. But they optimize for "does it work?" — not "is it secure?" This isn't a flaw in the tools; it's a fundamental difference in priorities. When you prompt an AI to build a login system, it gives you a working login system. It doesn't always consider rate limiting, session fixation, or token expiration.

In our analysis of over 500 repositories built with AI assistance, we found that 73% had at least one critical security issue. The good news? Most of these are easy to fix once you know what to look for.

1. Hardcoded Secrets and API Keys

This is the #1 issue we see. AI assistants often generate code with placeholder API keys that developers then replace with real ones — and forget to move them to environment variables. Check every file for strings that look like API keys, database URLs, or tokens. Use a .env file and make sure .env is in your .gitignore.

Red flags to search for: any string starting with sk_, pk_, ghp_, xoxb-, or containing ://user:password@.

2. Missing Authentication on API Routes

AI-generated API routes often work perfectly — for anyone who calls them. We frequently see /api/admin/users or /api/delete-account endpoints with zero authentication checks. Every API route that modifies data or returns sensitive information must verify the user's identity and permissions.

3. SQL Injection in Raw Queries

If your AI assistant generated raw SQL queries with string interpolation, you likely have SQL injection vulnerabilities. Look for patterns like `SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ${userId}` — these should always use parameterized queries. ORMs like Prisma or Drizzle handle this automatically, but raw queries need manual attention.

4. Insecure Dependencies

AI assistants suggest packages based on popularity, not security. Run `npm audit` or `pnpm audit` and address any critical or high severity issues. Pay special attention to packages with known CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures). A single vulnerable dependency can compromise your entire application.

5. Missing Rate Limiting

Without rate limiting, your login endpoint can be brute-forced, your API can be abused, and your server can be overwhelmed. At minimum, add rate limiting to: authentication endpoints (login, signup, password reset), any endpoint that sends emails or SMS, and public API endpoints that access your database.

6. CORS Misconfiguration

We often see Access-Control-Allow-Origin: * in AI-generated code. This allows any website to make requests to your API. Set your CORS policy to only allow your actual frontend domain. In Next.js, this means configuring your API routes or middleware to check the Origin header.

7. No Input Validation

AI-generated forms and API endpoints often trust whatever data comes in. Add server-side validation for every user input. Libraries like Zod make this painless — define your schema once and validate everywhere. Never trust client-side validation alone.

Automate It: Don't Rely on Memory

The reality is that manually checking all 7 points every time you deploy is tedious and error-prone. That's exactly why we built SafeLaunch — paste your GitHub URL and get a comprehensive security scan in 30 seconds. No setup, no CI pipeline changes, no security expertise required.

Your vibe-coded app deserves to launch securely. Check these 7 points, or let SafeLaunch check them for you. Either way, don't skip this step.