If you’re vibe coding an app, don’t leave the database choice up to the AI code generator. Take control and tell it you want to use Neon. Why? Because Neon’s built-in safety features ensure your app stays secure and runs smoothly, even if you’re not a database expert! 

It’s free to sign up, and our free tier lets you create up to 10 databases and 10 branches per project! Plus, Neon has integrations with v0, Windsurf, and create.xyz, making it easier than ever to add a database to your app.

Neon also helps protect your app from malicious attacks and gives you powerful recovery options if something goes wrong!

1. PITR

There may be instances where your AI code generator creates code that modifies your database schema. If these changes cause your application to break, you can use Point-in-Time Restore (PITR) to roll back your database to a previous working state.

To restore your database in Neon, go to the Restore section in the Neon console, select the main, or production branch, choose the desired date, and start the restore process.

This allows you to roll back your database to a specific point in time before any breaking changes were made.

2. Snapshots

Similar to PITR, Snapshots provide another layer of safety if undesirable changes are made to your database. Snapshots are currently available to our users in our Early Access Program and can be created at the click of a button from the Neon console. 

To take a snapshot head over to Backup & Restore, and click Create snapshot.

If you’re attempting a potentially risky change, be sure to take a snapshot first, and if the worst happens, you can quickly revert the changes.

3. SQL injection

SQL injection is an attack where malicious SQL code is inserted into a query, allowing attackers to manipulate a database and access sensitive data. This could also lead to unauthorized data deletion or exposure, posing a significant security risk if not properly mitigated.

There will be many places in your app where data moves from the browser to the server, and then to the database. If your queries aren’t written securely, attackers could inject harmful SQL code directly into your database.

Insecure SQL Query

For example, this URL passes the user id 123 from the browser to the server:

https://oops-app.com/user/123

The server then uses that id to query the database:

client.query(`SELECT * FROM users WHERE user_id=123`);

This inserts 123 into the query so the database can return the data for that user.

However, an attacker could modify the URL like this:

https://oops-app.com/user/123; DROP TABLE users; --

Because the query is not parameterized, the entire contents of the id value, including any malicious SQL code, is inserted directly into the database query:

client.query(`SELECT * FROM users WHERE user_id=123; DROP TABLE users; --`);

The database reads and executes the whole query and would first fetch the user with id 123, and then run the DROP TABLE users; command, which would delete all of your user data.

Secure SQL Query

To prevent this kind of attack, you should always use parameterized queries, which safely separate the SQL logic from the user input.

If your AI code generator has created a db.js file (or similar), take a moment to check which Postgres client its using. A common choice is pg, but if the queries are not properly parameterized, your app could be vulnerable to SQL injection.

✅ A safe, parameterized query using pg looks like this:

client.query('SELECT * FROM users WHERE user_id=$1', [id]);

Using $1 as a placeholder ensures the database treats the id as data, not executable code, protecting your app from malicious inputs.

It’s an easy mistake to make, but just as easy to prevent using Neon’s serverless driver.

Neon serverless driver

Neon’s serverless driver automatically prevents SQL injection by safely parameterizing variables, even when directly injecting them into SQL statements.

sql`SELECT * FROM users WHERE user_id=${id}`;

This query still injects the id directly, but inserted values are handled as data, not executable code, preventing harmful SQL commands from being executed.

For good measure, and if you prefer, you can still use parameterized queries with the serverless driver:

sql.query('SELECT * FROM users WHERE user_id=$1', [id]);

In both cases, any destructive SQL statements would be blocked from reaching the database, keeping your users’ data safe!

4. Protected branches

Protected branches provide an extra layer of security, preventing accidental database deletion and blocking branch resets, safeguarding your critical data from irreversible mistakes.

To enable branch protection in Neon, go to Branches in the Neon console, locate the main, or production branch, click the three dots, and select Set as protected from the dropdown menu.

Additionally, projects that contain a protected branch cannot be deleted.

5. IP allow

Using IP allowlisting is an effective security measure because it restricts access to the database to only trusted IP addresses. By only allowing connections from known sources, you can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access, making it much harder for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities. 

To add an IP address to the allowlist in Neon, go to Settings > Network Security and add the IP addresses you want to grant access to.

To determine which IP addresses to allow, refer to the provider’s documentation where you’re deploying your application.

6. Secure connections

Neon requires all connections to use SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security) encryption. This ensures that data can’t be intercepted or manipulated by third parties as it travels between your application and the database. 

If you’ve instructed your AI code generator to use Neon, double-check it’s added an sslmode=require to the end of the database connection string, like this:

postgresql://neondb_owner:abc_123xyz@ep-small-block-99-pooler.us-east-2.aws.neon.tech/neondb?sslmode=require

By default, Neon rejects any connections that do not specify an sslmode, ensuring all data transfers remain secure and protected from unauthorized access.

However, there are different levels of protection when using SSL/TLS encryption, which you can configure by appending an sslmode parameter to your connection string. You can read more about the connection modes in our documentation here: Connection modes.

7. Reset Password

If your connection string becomes compromised, it can allow unauthorized users to access your database, potentially leading to data breaches or even service disruptions. 

To reset a password in Neon, Connect to your database in the Neon console, click Reset password, confirm you want to reset the password at the prompt, then either copy the newly created password or download it as a .txt file.

You can now update any existing connection strings and replace the old password with the new one.

To wrap things up

Neon ensures your database stays secure and resilient, even when coding quickly using AI. By choosing Neon, you automatically benefit from built-in safety features that minimize risks and prevent costly mistakes. Whether rolling back unintended changes or avoiding common vulnerabilities, Neon makes it easy to secure your database and recover from disaster, so you can vibe code without stressing about potential threats.

Visit neon.tech to learn more, and happy vibe coding!