Lovable Security Checklist: 15-Item Guide Before Deploying

Q: What security issues are common in Lovable apps?

The most common security issues in Lovable apps are: exposed Supabase keys in frontend code, missing or incomplete RLS policies, frontend-only authentication without server verification, and unsanitized user inputs.

TL;DR

Lovable (formerly GPT Engineer) creates full-stack apps with Supabase backends. This 15-item checklist covers the most common security issues: exposed API keys, missing RLS, and frontend-only authentication. 5 critical items must be fixed before launch, 6 important items within the first week, and 4 recommended items when you can.

Quick Checklist (5 Critical Items)

Search for hardcoded secretsLook for sk_, pk_, api_key, SUPABASE_SERVICE in your code

Verify only anon key in frontendThe service_role key must never be in browser-accessible code

Enable RLS on all Supabase tablesTables without RLS are publicly accessible to anyone

Test protected routes without loginTry accessing /dashboard directly in an incognito window

Confirm .env is gitignoredRun git status to verify .env files are not tracked

API Keys & Secrets 4

Search for hardcoded secretsSearch your code for: sk_, pk_, api_key, apiKey, secret, password, SUPABASE_SERVICE. How to secure API keys

Verify only anon key in frontendThe Supabase anon key is safe for frontend. The service_role key must never be exposed. How to separate client/server keys

Check browser DevToolsOpen Network tab, use your app, and verify no secret keys appear in requests. How to inspect network requests

Confirm .env is gitignoredRun: git status and verify .env files are not tracked. How to secure .env files

Database Security (Supabase) 4

::checklist-item{label="Enable RLS on all tables" description="In Supabase Dashboard: Table Editor > Select table > RLS should show "Enabled". How to set up Supabase RLS"} ::

Add RLS policies for each operationEach table needs SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE policies as appropriate. How to write RLS policies

Test user data isolationLog in as User A, then try to fetch or modify User B's data by changing IDs. How to test data isolation

Review storage bucket policiesIf using Supabase Storage, verify bucket policies restrict access appropriately. How to secure file uploads

Authentication 4

Test protected routes without loginAccess /dashboard, /settings, or other protected pages directly in a new browser. How to test protected routes

Verify server-side auth verificationRLS policies should use auth.uid() to restrict data access, not just frontend checks. How to implement server-side auth

Test logout functionalityAfter logout, verify you cannot access protected routes or data. How to configure sessions

Check password reset flowIf using email auth, verify reset links expire and work correctly. How to secure password reset

Input Validation 3

Test XSS in text inputsEnter <script>alert(1)</script> in text fields and verify it displays as text. How to prevent XSS

Verify server-side validationTest submitting invalid data directly to APIs using curl or Postman. How to validate on server

Check file upload restrictionsIf file uploads exist, verify type restrictions and size limits are enforced. How to secure file uploads

Why Lovable Apps Need Security Review

Lovable builds apps quickly by generating React frontends with Supabase backends. While this stack is solid, AI-generated code often misses security configurations. The most critical issue is Supabase Row Level Security. Without RLS policies, anyone with your Supabase URL and anon key can read or write all your data.

According to our analysis of 500+ Lovable projects scanned in 2025, 67% had at least one RLS policy missing, and 23% had the service_role key exposed in frontend code.

Is Lovable safe for production apps?

Lovable generates functional code, but it requires security review before production. The platform itself is secure, but generated code may have vulnerabilities like exposed API keys, missing RLS policies, and frontend-only authentication. Run through this checklist before launching.

What security issues are common in Lovable apps?

The most common issues are: exposed Supabase service keys in frontend code, missing or incomplete RLS policies, frontend-only auth checks without server verification, and lack of input validation. These are all fixable with this checklist.

How do I add RLS policies to my Lovable app?

Go to your Supabase Dashboard, navigate to Authentication > Policies. For each table, enable RLS and add policies. For user-owned data, add a policy like: auth.uid() = user_id for SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE operations.

TL;DR

Quick Checklist (5 Critical Items)

API Keys & Secrets 4

Database Security (Supabase) 4

Authentication 4

Input Validation 3

Why Lovable Apps Need Security Review

Is Lovable safe for production apps?

What security issues are common in Lovable apps?

How do I add RLS policies to my Lovable app?

Related Articles

How a Lovable App Exposed 18,000 Users

Lovable Security Guide

Supabase Security Checklist

How to Set Up Supabase RLS

Automate This Checklist

Lovable Security Checklist: 15-Item Guide Before Deploying