Security Checklist for AI-Generated Apps: Auth, RBAC, Payments
Rapid application development with AI is powerful, but speed without guardrails invites risk. If you're comparing a Builder.io alternative or any online AI app builder, use this opinionated checklist to ship fast and stay compliant.
Identity & Session Hardening
- Adopt OIDC/OAuth2 with PKCE; require MFA and device checks for admins.
- Validate JWT aud/iss/exp/nbf; rotate signing keys; prefer short-lived tokens.
- Enforce organization-scoped tenancy; every query must filter by org_id.
- Set session idle/absolute timeouts; bind refresh tokens to client and IP risk.
- Use mTLS or private networking for internal service calls and webhooks.
Role & Data Guardrails (RBAC/ABAC)
- Model least-privilege roles per resource; deny by default; review quarterly.
- Add attributes (department, region, subscription) for ABAC-style policies.
- Codify policies with OPA/Rego or Cedar; version them and test in CI.
- Apply row-level security; mask PII fields until users pass purpose checks.
- Isolate AI agents with tool whitelists; enforce output JSON schemas server-side.
- Introduce human-in-the-loop approvals for destructive or high-value actions.
Payments & Money Movement
- Outsource card data via hosted fields; keep your app at PCI SAQ A or A-EP.
- Tokenize payment methods; never log PAN, CVV, or full IBAN.
- Require 3DS2/SCA where possible; verify currency, amount, and customer.
- Use idempotency keys on charge, refund, and payout endpoints.
- Validate webhook HMAC signatures; implement retries with exponential backoff.
- Restrict refunds to privileged roles; add dual control above thresholds.
AI-Specific Threats
- Mitigate prompt injection: retrieve only from allowlisted sources; escape tool inputs.
- Sign prompts and attach a nonce; reject unsigned tool calls from the model.
- Rate-limit generation per user/org; set budget caps and token ceilings.
- Scan training and retrieval data for PII/PHI; hash or redact before indexing.
- Expire conversation memory; never persist secrets in prompts or vectors.
Supply Chain & Runtime
- Create an SBOM; pin dependencies; verify with Sigstore; target SLSA L3+.
- Sign container images; enable least-privileged runtime; block egress by default.
- Store secrets in a KMS/secret manager; rotate keys; audit access trails.
- Set CSP, HSTS, and COOP/COEP headers; enable RASP/WAF for critical paths.
Operations & Proving Trust
- Centralize logs, traces, and model tokens; alert on anomalies and failed auth.
- Run STRIDE threat models per feature; pen-test prompt flows and payment edges.
- Map controls to SOC2/ISO; maintain DSR workflows and an incident runbook.
Two-Week Secure Rollout
- Days 1-2: Select an online AI app builder (or Builder.io alternative) with OIDC, RLS, and signed webhooks.
- Days 3-5: Implement auth, MFA, tenancy; wire audit logs.
- Days 6-7: Enforce RBAC/ABAC and schema-validated AI tools.
- Days 8-9: Integrate payments with tokens, 3DS2, and idempotency.
- Days 10-12: Add rate limits, SIEM alerts, and disaster recovery drills.
- Days 13-14: Red-team prompts, fix gaps, enable a kill switch, then launch.
Ship faster without sacrificing trust or compliance.
