Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →A Supabase publishable key in a Lovable app’s browser code is expected; it is not, by itself, a permission to read your database. Access depends on database grants and Row Level Security (RLS). The more serious risks are missing or overly broad policies, exposed privileged credentials, and overlooked access paths such as Storage and Realtime. Use the checks below to spot obvious problems in about ten minutes, then test any uncertain access rules more thoroughly.
These are Supabase configuration risks, not evidence that Lovable creates security flaws by default. Inspect your own generated code and Supabase project.
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First, know which Supabase key is in your frontend
Supabase Auth identifies a signed-in user. Database grants and RLS policies determine what that identity can do. A key identifies the app or grants elevated access; it does not replace those access rules.
| Credential | Expected in browser code? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
Publishable key, or legacy anon key |
Yes | Designed for public client use. Its safety depends on database grants and RLS being configured appropriately. |
| Secret key, or legacy service-role key | No | Privileged credentials bypass RLS. Keep them in controlled backend components, never in client-side code. |
Supabase’s API keys and data API documentation make this distinction: a public key is not an access-control policy, while a leaked secret key can expose project data. Do not paste a live credential into a public scanner, chat, or issue tracker.
#1 Best Overall
Eight checks to make in your project
1. Look for exposed tables without RLS
In Supabase’s Security Advisor and table views, identify tables in schemas exposed through the API and confirm RLS is enabled for each. A table without RLS can be read or changed by any role that has the relevant grant. Do not limit the check to the table currently shown on your app’s page.
2. Review grants and policies together
RLS policies do not remove SQL grants. For every exposed table, review both grants and policies separately for select, insert, update, and delete. Check which roles can perform each operation and whether the policy limits it to the intended records. A policy for reading does not automatically secure updates or deletes.
3. Search code and repositories for privileged keys
Search your repository, built JavaScript, environment-variable usage, and relevant logs for sb_secret_ and legacy service-role credentials. A publishable key—or legacy anon key—is different from a secret key. If a privileged key has been exposed, remove the exposure and rotate it using Supabase’s documented procedure; deleting it from the latest source file alone does not undo an earlier leak.
The Tool Desk
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Check bucket visibility and the RLS policies on storage.objects, especially for user uploads or files intended to be private. Test both listing a bucket’s objects and fetching a specific object as a signed-out visitor and, where appropriate, a second ordinary user. Storage policies govern these requests, and service keys bypass those policies.
5. Verify that identity is not being mistaken for permission
A successful login proves who signed in; it does not grant access to every row. Confirm that ownership and membership policies use trusted identity and membership data. Do not base authorization on user-editable metadata: Supabase’s RLS guide notes that authenticated users can update raw_user_meta_data.
6. Inspect privileged functions and server routes
Review Edge Functions and server routes that use a secret key or perform administrative operations. Each must authenticate and authorize the actual caller before using privileged access. Supabase cautions that the platform’s verify_jwt check alone does not authenticate a caller who sends only an API key.
7. Check Realtime and replication access
Review which tables are published for Realtime or replication, and confirm sensitive tables have RLS and policies suitable for subscriptions as well as ordinary queries. A page test that checks a database query does not establish that a subscription or replication path is appropriately restricted. Supabase documents a maximum 24-hour duration for public Realtime connections unless they are upgraded to user-level authentication.
8. Review project and authentication settings
Check Supabase’s Security Advisor and review MFA for project accounts, email confirmation, and OTP expiry. Supabase’s production checklist recommends MFA and email confirmation, and recommends an OTP expiry of 3600 seconds (one hour) or lower. These settings complement, rather than replace, database access policies.
Best Value
Fit the first pass into ten minutes
- Minutes 0–2: Open Security Advisor and note exposed tables or other findings. Search the frontend bundle and repository for secret or service-role key patterns.
- Minutes 2–5: In the table and policy views, confirm RLS on exposed tables; review grants and policies for all four operations.
- Minutes 5–7: Test as a signed-out visitor and a second ordinary user. With test records, try to read, update, or delete another user’s record. The intended outcome is denial or no rows, depending on the app. Do not probe real users’ sensitive data.
- Minutes 7–9: Check Storage policies and private-file access, then review Realtime and publication settings for sensitive tables.
- Minute 10: Check whether privileged functions authenticate and authorize callers, and review project MFA and authentication settings. Escalate uncertain or complex findings for a full review.
When a quick check is not enough
A ten-minute pass is triage, not a penetration test, compliance assessment, or proof that an app is secure. Supabase recommends database tests that assert which requests should succeed and fail. The deeper review should cover all exposed tables, roles, operations, functions, and ownership cases, with repeatable allow-and-deny tests—not only visible dashboard settings. Supabase’s RLS guidance puts the limit plainly: “Until the suite passes, you don’t know whether the policies do what you intended.”
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