Last updated: January 12, 2026
An honest security analysis of Windsurf for developers considering it for their projects.
Windsurf (by Codeium) has significant security concerns: 94 Chromium CVEs were discovered in 2024-2025 security audits. While Codeium offers zero data retention mode and self-hosted options, the Chromium vulnerability count makes Cursor (VS Code-based, no major CVEs) a safer alternative for sensitive work.
Security researchers identified 94 Chromium-based vulnerabilities in Windsurf IDE, including memory corruption, sandbox escapes, and remote code execution risks. Users must keep Windsurf updated to the latest version to receive patches.
Windsurf's 94 Chromium CVEs are a serious concern that sets it apart from competitors. While Codeium offers good privacy options (Zero Data Retention, self-hosted), the sheer number of vulnerabilities in the underlying Chromium framework makes vigilant updating essential. For security-critical work, Cursor (VS Code-based, clean security record) is a safer choice.
Understanding Windsurf security in the context of broader industry trends and research.
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
“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.”
Security researchers discovered 94 vulnerabilities in Windsurf's Chromium-based architecture during 2024-2025 audits. These include memory corruption bugs, sandbox escapes, and potential remote code execution. Codeium has released patches, but users must keep Windsurf updated.
No. Cursor (VS Code fork) has no major CVEs, while Windsurf has 94 Chromium CVEs. Cursor's architecture is more battle-tested. Both offer privacy modes, but Cursor's security track record is significantly better.
Zero Data Retention is a Codeium setting that claims no code snippets are stored on their servers. Code is processed for AI suggestions but not retained. Enable it in Codeium Settings → Data Privacy. For maximum security, consider Codeium's self-hosted option.
You can use Windsurf if you: 1) Enable auto-updates and verify they install, 2) Enable Zero Data Retention mode, 3) Review AI suggestions carefully. For highly sensitive/classified work, consider Cursor instead due to its cleaner security record.
Go to Help → Check for Updates, or enable auto-updates in Settings → Application. Verify your version in Help → About. Windsurf releases patches regularly, but they only protect you if installed. Check release notes for security fixes.
Don't guess - scan your app and know for certain. VAS checks for all the common security issues in Windsurf applications.