Public Launch Security Checklist

TL;DR

Public launch means anyone can use your product. Before removing invite codes or going live, verify authentication is bulletproof, rate limiting is enabled, you have monitoring in place, incident response is planned, and you can handle unknown traffic levels.

Security Fundamentals 4

HTTPS everywhereAll traffic encrypted. No mixed content warnings.

Security headers configuredCSP, X-Frame-Options, HSTS, X-Content-Type-Options.

Authentication is solidPassword hashing, session management, protected routes.

Run a security scanCheck for OWASP top 10 vulnerabilities.

Abuse Protection 4

Rate limiting on all endpointsProtect login, signup, API, and sensitive operations.

Account abuse preventionEmail verification, CAPTCHA on signup if needed.

Input validation everywhereNever trust user input. Validate server-side.

File upload restrictions (if applicable)Validate types, sizes, and scan for malware.

Operations 4

Error monitoring activeSentry, LogRocket, or similar catching exceptions.

Uptime monitoring configuredGet alerted when your site goes down.

Backup and recovery testedCan you restore from backup? Have you tried?

Incident response plan readyWho responds? How do you communicate?

Scale Readiness 4

Load tested the applicationKnow your limits before you hit them.

Database can scaleConnection limits, query performance, indexes optimized.

CDN for static assetsImages, CSS, JS served from edge locations.

Graceful degradation plannedWhat happens if parts of your system fail?

What's the difference between beta and public launch security?

Public launch means you're accepting responsibility for unknown users and traffic. You need stronger abuse protection, better monitoring, and tested incident response. Beta is learning; public is committing.

Should I do a security audit before public launch?

For most indie projects, an automated security scan is sufficient. If you're handling sensitive data (health, finance) or have significant funding, consider a professional audit.

Public Launch Security Checklist: 16 Items Before Going Live

TL;DR

Security Fundamentals 4

Abuse Protection 4

Operations 4

Scale Readiness 4

Scan Before You Go Live