What are common security mistakes in Cursor apps?
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Short Answer
The mistakes we see repeatedly in Cursor apps: prompt injection in mcp servers; workspace trust exploitation; code suggestion security flaws. Each one is a specific failure mode of Cursor's workflow — not generic programming mistakes.
Detailed Answer
The mistakes we actually see in Cursor apps
These aren't hypothetical — they're what vas finds when it scans a Cursor app for the first time. Listed in order of how often they appear:
1. Prompt Injection in MCP Servers
*Why it happens:* Malicious content in MCP tool responses can execute arbitrary commands. *What it's cost teams:* CVE-2025-54135 (CurXecute): Slack messages could trigger remote code execution.
*Fix:* Review MCP server sources. Avoid untrusted MCP integrations. Watch for suspicious tool calls.
2. Workspace Trust Exploitation
*Why it happens:* Malicious .cursor/rules files execute when opening untrusted projects. *What it's cost teams:* The 'Rules File Backdoor' vulnerability affects both Cursor and Copilot.
*Fix:* Enable Workspace Trust in settings. Review .cursor/ files before opening projects.
3. Code Suggestion Security Flaws
*Why it happens:* AI suggests vulnerable patterns: SQL injection, hardcoded secrets, weak auth. *What it's cost teams:* Research shows ~40% of AI code suggestions contain security issues.
*Fix:* Review all AI suggestions critically. Run security scans on generated code.
4. Privacy and Code Exfiltration
*Why it happens:* Code sent to AI servers may expose proprietary logic or secrets.
*Fix:* Enable Privacy Mode. Use .cursorignore for sensitive files.
5. Supply Chain via Package Hallucination
*Why it happens:* AI suggests non-existent packages that attackers could register. *What it's cost teams:* LLMs hallucinate npm package names that attackers then create with malware.
*Fix:* Verify all package suggestions exist. Check package reputation before installing.
Why these specifically show up in Cursor (and not as much elsewhere)
Cursor's workflow optimizes for speed — idea to deployed app in minutes. The mistakes above aren't character flaws, they're the predictable output of a speed-optimized workflow that doesn't enforce security gates. The fix is treating security gates as non-negotiable, not as "I'll get to it later."
Security Research & Statistics
of Lovable applications (170 out of 1,645) had exposed user data in the CVE-2025-48757 incident
Source: CVE-2025-48757 security advisory
average cost of a data breach in 2023
Source: IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023
developers using vibe coding platforms like Lovable, Bolt, and Replit
Source: Combined platform statistics 2024-2025
Expert Perspectives
“There's a new kind of coding I call 'vibe coding', where you fully give in to the vibes, embrace exponentials, and forget that the code even exists.”
“It's not really coding - I just see stuff, say stuff, run stuff, and copy paste stuff, and it mostly works.”
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How common are these mistakes in Cursor apps — is this overstated?
Understated, if anything. The majority of Cursor apps scanned for the first time have at least one of the high-likelihood mistakes above. "Prompt Injection in MCP Servers" in particular is the default state of a new Cursor app before any security work. Our sample skews toward apps whose owners care enough to scan — the base rate for never-scanned Cursor apps is higher.
What are the actual consequences when these mistakes ship to production?
The consequence ladder: (a) data exposure — emails, passwords, PII, payment info readable by anyone; (b) account takeover — if auth is weak, legitimate accounts get hijacked; (c) third-party abuse — an exposed OpenAI or Stripe key gets drained of quota or money; (d) regulatory — GDPR/CCPA notification requirements trigger at ~first exposure; (e) reputational — "Cursor app data breach" is a headline that doesn't age well. Each consequence compounds the next.
How do I avoid these mistakes when building with Cursor?
Three non-negotiable habits: (1) Configure Row Level Security (RLS) policies at table/collection creation — before writing any feature code. (2) Treat any paste-a-key-into-code as a bug from the first keystroke, not "I'll move it to env vars later." (3) Run a vas scan before every production deploy — five minutes of scanning prevents hours-to-weeks of breach response. Specifically: Review MCP server sources. Avoid untrusted MCP integrations. Watch for suspicious tool calls..
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