What Is a Vibe Code Audit?
A vibe code audit is a professional security assessment specifically designed for applications built with AI coding tools. The term "vibe coding" describes the practice of building software by describing what you want in natural language and letting an AI assistant generate the code. Tools like Cursor, Replit Agent, Claude Code, Bolt and Lovable have made it possible for non-developers to ship production applications in hours. But the code these tools generate frequently contains serious security vulnerabilities that the builder never sees.
A vibe code audit examines both the generated source code and the running application to identify these vulnerabilities before they become breaches. It is not a generic automated scan. It is a manual, expert-driven review that understands the specific patterns and failure modes of AI-generated code.
Why Vibe-Coded Apps Need Specialized Audits
AI coding tools optimize for functionality. They build code that works, that compiles, that displays the right things on screen. What they do not optimize for is security. The AI does not think about threat models. It does not consider what happens when a malicious user manipulates a request. It does not check whether the database query it generated is vulnerable to injection.
Our data from auditing hundreds of vibe-coded applications shows consistent patterns. Over 80% contain at least one critical or high-severity vulnerability. The most common findings are predictable because they stem from the same fundamental gap: AI assistants generate code that trusts user input by default.
What We Check During a Vibe Code Audit
- Hardcoded Secrets and API Keys
- AI assistants frequently embed API keys, database credentials and third-party service tokens directly in source code. We scan the entire codebase for exposed secrets and verify that environment variables are properly configured.
- Authentication and Session Management
- We test login flows, password reset mechanisms, session token generation and multi-factor authentication implementation. AI-generated auth code frequently uses weak session tokens, lacks brute-force protection or implements password reset flows with predictable tokens.
- Authorization and Access Control
- We verify that every endpoint enforces proper access controls. AI tools commonly generate admin panels and API routes that are accessible without authentication, or that rely on client-side checks that can be bypassed.
- SQL Injection and NoSQL Injection
- AI-generated database queries frequently use string concatenation instead of parameterized queries. We test every database interaction point for injection vulnerabilities.
- Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
- We test all user input rendering for reflected, stored and DOM-based XSS. AI tools often skip output encoding, especially in dynamically generated HTML.
- CORS and Security Headers
- We verify that CORS policies are not set to wildcard origins, that security headers (CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options) are present and that cookie flags are properly configured.
- File Upload Security
- If the application accepts file uploads, we test for unrestricted file types, path traversal, oversized uploads and server-side execution of uploaded files.
- Dependency and Supply Chain Risks
- AI tools pull in dependencies without evaluating their security posture. We check for known vulnerable packages, typosquatting risks and unnecessary dependencies that expand the attack surface.
How Long Does a Vibe Code Audit Take?
A Quick Audit takes 3-5 business days from the time we receive access to your codebase and running application. The timeline depends on the size and complexity of the application, but most vibe-coded apps are small enough to complete within the Quick Audit scope.
For larger applications with multiple services, extensive API surfaces or complex business logic, a full vibe code penetration test may be more appropriate. Full pentests typically take 1-2 weeks and provide deeper coverage including business logic testing and infrastructure assessment.
What the Report Looks Like
The audit report is a practical document designed to help you fix the issues we find. It is not a 100-page compliance artifact. Each finding includes:
Severity rating: Critical, High, Medium or Low, based on exploitability and business impact.
Description: What the vulnerability is and why it matters, written in plain language.
Evidence: Screenshots, request/response pairs and code snippets showing exactly where the issue exists.
Remediation guidance: Specific instructions for fixing the vulnerability, including code examples where applicable.
We also include an executive summary for non-technical stakeholders and a prioritized remediation roadmap so you know what to fix first.
Common Findings Specific to Vibe-Coded Apps
Certain vulnerability patterns appear in nearly every vibe-coded application we audit. These are not theoretical risks. They are findings from real engagements.
Exposed environment variables in client-side code. AI tools frequently place API keys and database connection strings in frontend JavaScript where anyone can view them in the browser's developer tools.
Admin routes without authentication. AI-generated admin panels at /admin, /dashboard or /api/admin are often accessible without any authentication check.
Direct database queries with user input. String interpolation in SQL queries instead of parameterized statements. This is the single most dangerous pattern we see in AI-generated code.
Missing rate limiting on sensitive endpoints. Login, password reset and API endpoints without any throttling, enabling brute-force attacks.
Overly permissive CORS configurations. Access-Control-Allow-Origin: * on API endpoints that handle authenticated requests.
How Much Does a Vibe Code Audit Cost?
The Quick Audit starts at $1,500 CAD. This is the right starting point for most vibe-coded applications. It gives you a clear picture of your security posture with actionable findings and remediation guidance.
For applications that need deeper testing, a full penetration test starts at $5,000 CAD and includes comprehensive manual testing of business logic, API security, infrastructure assessment and compliance-ready reporting.
Getting Started
If you have built an application with AI coding tools and it is accessible on the internet, it needs an audit. Visit our vibe coding security page to learn more about our approach, or order a Quick Audit to get started. We will have your findings report ready within a week.