Security Analysis

Is Supabase Safe?

An honest security analysis of Supabase for developers considering it for their projects.

Quick Answer

Safe when configured correctly - RLS is essential

Supabase is secure by design, but YOUR configuration determines app security. The anon key is meant to be public - security comes from Row Level Security (RLS) policies you must enable and configure.

Security Assessment

Security Strengths

  • Built on PostgreSQL with enterprise-grade security
  • Row Level Security provides granular access control
  • SOC 2 Type II compliant
  • Built-in auth with secure defaults
  • Automatic SSL/TLS encryption
  • Regular security audits

Security Concerns

  • RLS is NOT enabled by default - you must configure it
  • Misconfigured RLS exposes entire tables
  • Anon key in frontend is intentional but confuses developers
  • Service role key exposure is critical vulnerability
  • Default RLS policies may be too permissive

Security Checklist for Supabase

  • 1
    Enable RLS on EVERY table with data
  • 2
    Write policies that check auth.uid()
  • 3
    Never expose service_role key to frontend
  • 4
    Test RLS by querying as anonymous user
  • 5
    Use VAS to verify your RLS configuration
  • 6
    Review RPC functions for proper auth checks

The Verdict

Supabase is a secure platform when configured correctly. The critical step is enabling and properly configuring Row Level Security. Most 'Supabase breaches' are actually developer misconfigurations, not platform vulnerabilities.

Security Research & Industry Data

Understanding Supabase security in the context of broader industry trends and research.

10.3%

of Lovable applications (170 out of 1,645) had exposed user data in the CVE-2025-48757 incident

Source: CVE-2025-48757 security advisory

91%

of data breaches involve databases with misconfigured access controls

Source: Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report

4.45 million USD

average cost of a data breach in 2023

Source: IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023

What Security Experts Say

“Row Level Security is not optional for production applications. Without RLS, your anon key grants full public access to your database.”

Supabase Documentation — Official Supabase Security Guidelines

“Service keys should never be used in the browser or exposed to customers. They bypass all Row Level Security policies.”

Supabase Documentation — Official Supabase Security Guidelines

Verify Your Supabase App Security

Don't guess - scan your app and know for certain. VAS checks for all the common security issues in Supabase applications.

Scan Your AppSupabase Security Guide

Related Security Guides

Supabase Security ScannerSupabase Security GuideVibe Coding Security