Railway Security Checklist
Last updated: January 12, 2026
Use this checklist to ensure your Railway application is secure before launch. 4 critical items require immediate attention.
Why This Security Checklist Matters
Security checklists serve as systematic guides for identifying vulnerabilities that might otherwise be overlooked during rapid development cycles. For Railway applications specifically, this checklist addresses the most common security gaps that emerge when using AI-assisted development workflows.
Research from multiple security organizations indicates that approximately 80% of AI-built applications contain at least one exploitable vulnerability at launch. The vulnerabilities are often predictable—they follow patterns that this checklist is designed to catch. By systematically reviewing each item, you significantly reduce the risk of launching an insecure application.
Unlike generic security checklists, this guide focuses specifically on vulnerabilities prevalent in Railway applications. Each item has been prioritized based on real-world attack patterns and the potential impact of exploitation. Critical items should be addressed before any production deployment.
Critical Priority
Critical items can lead to complete application compromise, data breaches, or unauthorized access to all user accounts. These must be addressed before deploying to production. Attackers actively scan for these vulnerabilities.
High Priority
High priority items represent significant security risks that could allow unauthorized access to sensitive data or functionality. While not immediately catastrophic, these vulnerabilities should be fixed as soon as possible.
Medium/Low Priority
Medium and low priority items strengthen your overall security posture. While they may not be immediately exploitable, addressing them prevents attack chains and defense-in-depth gaps.
Manual vs Automated Security Checking
While manual security reviews are thorough, they're time-consuming and prone to human error. Automated scanning catches common vulnerabilities instantly, freeing you to focus on business logic and complex security decisions.
Items VAS Automates
- Exposed API keys and secrets in JavaScript bundles
- HTTP security header configuration
- Supabase RLS policy testing
- Firebase Security Rules validation
- Cookie security attributes
Manual Review Still Required
- Business logic vulnerabilities
- Custom authentication implementations
- Access control logic in API routes
- Data validation requirements
- Third-party integration security
Environment Variables
Use Railway's variable management
Store all secrets in Railway's environment variable system
Configure variables per environment
Use different values for staging and production environments
Don't commit secrets to repository
AutoRailway injects variables at runtime - keep them out of git
Review variable access permissions
Check which team members can view production secrets
Private Networking
Use private networking for databases
Keep database traffic off the public internet using Railway's private network
Configure internal service communication
Use internal DNS for service-to-service communication
Limit public exposure
Only expose services that need public access
Use Railway's built-in load balancing
Let Railway handle traffic distribution securely
Database Security
Use Railway-managed databases
Railway's PostgreSQL and Redis have security defaults configured
Configure database access controls
Set up proper user permissions for your database
Enable SSL for database connections
Ensure all database connections use encryption
Set up database backups
Configure automatic backups for data protection
Deployment Security
Use Dockerfile for consistent builds
Dockerfiles ensure reproducible and auditable builds
Scan container images for vulnerabilities
Use container scanning tools before deployment
Configure health checks
Set up health checks for reliable deployments
Review deployment logs
Monitor logs for security issues and errors
Don't Check Manually
VAS automatically checks 1 of these 16 items. Get instant results with detailed remediation guidance.
Run Automated Security ScanFrequently Asked Questions
How does Railway's private networking improve security?
Railway's private network keeps database traffic off the public internet. Services communicate via internal DNS, so your database ports are never exposed publicly. This eliminates a major attack vector for database compromises.
Should I use Railway's managed databases?
Yes, Railway's managed PostgreSQL and Redis have security defaults configured including authentication and encryption. They also integrate with private networking automatically. This is more secure than configuring database security yourself.