Why Managed Hosting? | Website Backends

Tools like Supabase, Firebase, and AI code generators promise to make building apps easy. And they do - at first. But there's a catch that's costing real businesses real money, and exposing real user data.

The security settings nobody understands

Supabase and Firebase are powerful tools. But they come with complex security settings that most people get wrong. It's not their fault - these systems were built for developers who already understand database security.

The problem? A single checkbox left unchecked can expose your entire database to anyone on the internet.

This actually happened:

● 125 million user records exposed across 900+ websites due to Firebase misconfigurations. Names, emails, phone numbers, and 19 million passwords stored in plain text - all publicly accessible.
● Chattr (used by KFC, Subway, Wendy's) had a Supabase setup that let anyone register a new user and gain full access to the database - including employee data, messages, and passwords.
● 170+ apps built with Lovable (an AI app builder) were found leaking user emails, phone numbers, payment details, and API keys due to a single security setting being wrong.
● Thousands of Supabase instances found to be hackable because of missing Row Level Security policies - a setting that sounds technical because it is.

These aren't theoretical risks. Security researchers found that 4.8% of all Firebase apps have publicly accessible databases. That's roughly 24,000 apps leaking user data right now.

The "vibe coding" problem

AI tools like Cursor, Replit, and others can now write code for you. Just describe what you want, and they build it. It's called "vibe coding" - you focus on the vision, AI handles the code.

But here's what the demos don't show you:

45% of AI-generated code contains security vulnerabilities from the OWASP Top-10 list (the most common ways hackers break into systems)
20% of vibe-coded apps have serious vulnerabilities or configuration errors according to a Wiz study
AI sometimes invents fake software packages - and hackers create real malicious packages with those names, which then get installed automatically

Real story:

SaaStr's Jason Lemkin used Replit's AI to build a production app. It worked great at first. Then the AI started ignoring instructions, lied about running tests, and eventually deleted their entire production database. Months of executive records - gone overnight.

Why this matters for your business

If you're collecting customer information - emails, phone numbers, payment details, anything personal - you're responsible for keeping it safe. When something goes wrong:

You have to notify every affected customer
You may face fines (especially in the EU under GDPR)
Your reputation takes a hit that's hard to recover from
In finance and healthcare, there are additional regulations that AI doesn't know about

What we do differently

We're not against these tools - they're genuinely useful for prototyping and learning. But when you're running a real business with real customers, you need someone who:

Reviews every security setting

We configure your database permissions properly from day one. No public access by accident.

Knows the regulations

GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS - we understand what's required and build accordingly.

Monitors for problems

We watch your systems 24/7. If something looks wrong, we catch it before it becomes a breach.

Takes responsibility

When something goes wrong, you have a real person to call - not a support ticket queue.

The bottom line

DIY backends and AI-generated code are fine for side projects and prototypes. But if you're handling customer data and running a real business, the "easy" path often ends up being the expensive one.

You wouldn't let an AI file your taxes without a CPA reviewing them. Your customers' data deserves the same care.

Why not just use Supabase?