Common Issues
security
Someone Hacked My AI-Built App
Something is very wrong with your app. Maybe you're seeing content you didn't create, users are reporting strange activity, your database has been wiped, or you received a message from someone claiming they have access to your data. Your AI-built app may have been compromised.
AI-generated code often has security gaps that experienced hackers know how to exploit. Things like exposed API keys, missing access controls, and unsecured databases are extremely common in apps built with AI tools. If your app handles any user data, payments, or personal information, a breach is a serious situation.
The most important thing right now is to act fast — the longer a hacker has access, the more damage they can do.
Error Messages You Might See
Unauthorized access detected
Your account has been locked
Unrecognized login from new location
Data has been modified
Suspicious activity on your account
Common Causes
- API keys visible in your code — Your secret passwords and keys are in the frontend code where anyone can see them by opening the browser's developer tools
- No access controls on the database — Anyone can read, write, or delete data from your database because there are no security rules set up
- Admin pages are unprotected — Your app's admin area has no login requirement or uses a simple password that's easy to guess
- User input not sanitized — Hackers can type special code into your forms that tricks the database into revealing or deleting data
- Default passwords still in use — The app is still using default or example passwords that came with the template or code
How to Fix It
- Change ALL passwords and keys immediately — Rotate every API key, database password, and admin credential you have. Do this right now, before anything else
- Check what data was accessed — Look at your database logs to see what was viewed, changed, or deleted
- Take the app offline temporarily — If the breach is active, it's better to take the app down than to let the attacker continue
- Notify affected users — If user data was exposed, you may be legally required to tell them. Be transparent about what happened
- Get a security review — Have a developer review your entire app for security vulnerabilities and fix them all, not just the one that was exploited
Real developers can help you.
BurnHavoc
Been around fixing other peoples code for 20 years.
Vlad Temian
15+ years shipping production infrastructure for startups. Former CTO at qed.builders (acquired by The Sandbox).
Cursor ambassador and agentic tooling builder.
I've scaled systems, automated deployments, and built observability tools for AI coding workflows. I specialize in taking vibe-coded apps from broken prototype to production-ready: fixing Supabase auth/RLS, Stripe integrations, deployment pipelines, and cleaning up AI-generated spaghetti.
I build tools in this space (agentprobe, claudebin, micode) and understand both sides: how AI generates code and why it breaks.
https://blog.vtemian.com/
Sage Fulcher
Hey I'm Sage! Im a Boston area software engineer who grew up in South Florida. Ive worked at a ton of cool places like a telehealth kidney care startup that took part in a billion dollar merger (Cricket health/Interwell health), a boutique design agency where I got to work on a ton of exciting startups including a photography education app, a collegiate Esports league and more (Philosophie), a data analytics as a service startup in Cambridge (MA) as well as at Phillips and MIT Lincoln Lab where I designed and developed novel network security visualizations and analytics. I've been writing code and furiously devoted to using computers to make people’s lives easier for about 17 years. My degree is in making computers make pretty lights and sounds. Outside of work I love hip hop, the Celtics, professional wrestling, magic the gathering, photography, drumming, and guitars (both making and playing them)
Antriksh Narang
5 years+ Experienced Dev (Specially in Web Development), can help in python, javascript, react, next.js and full stack web dev technologies.
Rudra Bhikadiya
I build and fix web apps across Next.js, Node.js, and DBs.
Comfortable jumping into messy code, broken APIs, and mysterious bugs.
If your project works in theory but not in reality, I help close that gap.
Richard McSorley
Full-Stack Software Engineer with 8+ years building high-performance applications for enterprise clients. Shipped production systems at Walmart (4,000+ stores), Cigna (20M+ users), and Arkansas Blue Cross. 5 patents in retail/supply chain tech. Currently focused on AI integrations, automation tools, and TypeScript-first architectures.
Anthony Akpan
Developer with 8 years of experience building softwares fro startups
AUXLE
I am a Full Stack Developer experienced in building Websites, Web apps and Cross Platform Mobile Apps for Startups and Companies.
Krishna Sai Kuncha
Experienced Professional Full stack Developer with 8+ years of experience across react, python, js, ts, golang and react-native. Developed inhouse websearch tooling for AI before websearch was solved : )
Jen Jacobsen
I’m a Full-Stack Developer with over 10 years of experience building modern web and mobile applications. I enjoy working across the full product lifecycle — turning ideas into real, well-built products that are intuitive for users and scalable for businesses.
I particularly enjoy building mobile apps, modern web platforms, and solving complex technical problems in a way that keeps systems clean, reliable, and easy to maintain.
Describe what's wrong in plain English. No technical knowledge needed.
Get HelpFrequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my app was actually hacked?
Signs include: data you didn't create appearing in your app, users reporting strange activity, unexpected charges on services, your database being emptied or modified, or receiving messages from someone claiming they accessed your system.
Could I get in legal trouble if user data was leaked?
Potentially, yes. Most countries have data protection laws (like GDPR in Europe) that require you to notify users and authorities of data breaches. The sooner you act and notify affected users, the better your legal position.