Vercel

Vercel Security Issues

The most common security vulnerabilities in Vercel applications—and how to fix them before attackers find them.

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73%
Of Vibe-Coded Apps
Have at least one security issue
Secrets
Most Common Issue
Exposed API keys and credentials
< 2 hrs
Avg Time to Fix
For standard misconfigurations

6 Security Issues Documented

Common vulnerabilities found in Vercel applications

1 Critical3 High2 Medium

Critical Security Issues

Environment Variables in Wrong Scope

critical

Secrets configured for Production but used in Preview, or vice versa.

Impact

Preview deployments may expose production secrets or fail with missing vars.

How to Detect

Compare environment variable scopes in Vercel dashboard.

How to Fix

Carefully configure scope for each variable: Development, Preview, Production.

High Severity Issues

Missing Security Headers

high

No CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options configured.

Impact

XSS, clickjacking, and other client-side attacks more likely.

How to Detect

Check response headers in browser DevTools.

How to Fix

Add headers in next.config.js or vercel.json.

Preview Deployments Exposed

high

Preview URLs accessible without authentication, exposing unreleased features.

Impact

Pre-release features visible, possible preview-to-production data leak.

How to Detect

Check if preview URLs are accessible without Vercel account.

How to Fix

Enable Vercel Authentication for preview deployments.

Serverless Function Secrets Logged

high

console.log statements exposing secrets in function logs.

Impact

Anyone with log access can see sensitive data.

How to Detect

Review function code for console.log of sensitive variables.

How to Fix

Remove debug logging. Use proper secret management.

Medium Severity Issues

CORS Misconfiguration

medium

API routes allowing requests from any origin.

Impact

Cross-site request forgery, unauthorized API access.

How to Detect

Check Access-Control-Allow-Origin headers.

How to Fix

Restrict CORS to specific allowed origins.

Build Logs Exposure

medium

Build logs may contain secrets echoed during build.

Impact

Secret exposure through build logs.

How to Detect

Review build logs for sensitive output.

How to Fix

Never echo secrets during build. Use Vercel secret management.

How to Prevent These Issues

  • Run automated security scans before every deployment
  • Configure database access controls (RLS/Security Rules) first
  • Store all secrets in environment variables, never in code
  • Enable email verification and strong password policies
  • Add security headers to your hosting configuration
  • Review AI-generated code for security before accepting

Find Issues Before Attackers Do

VAS scans your Vercel app for all these issues automatically. Free scan, instant results.

Scan Your App Now

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common Vercel security issues?

The most common issues are: exposed API keys/secrets, missing database access controls (RLS or Security Rules), weak authentication configuration, and missing security headers. These account for over 80% of vulnerabilities in Vercel applications.

How do I find security issues in my Vercel app?

Run a VAS security scan for automated detection of common vulnerabilities. Manually check: database access controls, search code for hardcoded secrets, verify authentication settings, and test security headers. VAS catches all of these automatically.

Are Vercel security issues fixable?

Yes, nearly all Vercel security issues are configuration problems with straightforward fixes. Missing RLS, exposed secrets, weak auth—all have clear remediation steps. Most fixes take under an hour to implement.

How quickly can Vercel security issues be exploited?

Exposed databases and API keys can be discovered within minutes using automated scanners. Attackers actively scan for common patterns. This is why security configuration must happen before deployment, not after.

Does Vercel have built-in security?

Vercel provides security features, but they require configuration. Security isn't automatic—you must enable database access controls, manage secrets properly, configure auth settings, and add security headers. The tools exist; you must use them.

Last updated: January 16, 2026