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Firestore ships in “test mode”: open to everyone

Security Scanner forGoogle AI Studio Apps

Google AI Studio's build mode (the successor to Firebase Studio) turns a prompt into a full-stack app on Cloud Firestore in minutes. But Firestore's own default leaves your data open to any anonymous request, and apps built before May 2026 may still carry a Gemini API key in the client bundle. ShipSafe checks both from the outside.

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The short answer

Why Google AI Studio Apps Need a Security Check

Google AI Studio's build mode is the fast lane for turning a prompt into a working app. Google is sunsetting Firebase Studio (usable through March 22, 2027) in favor of AI Studio, so a growing share of new Firebase-backed apps are being built here. The apps AI Studio generates are wired to Cloud Firestore and Firebase Authentication, not Supabase — so the security story is different too.

The first risk is Firestore's own defaults. When you create a Firebase project, you choose between Locked mode (deny everyone) or Test mode, which Firebase's own docs describe as rules that allow "anyone access." Test mode is convenient for a demo and easy to forget about once the app is live. ShipSafe reads your live Firestore and Cloud Storage rules and flags the exact "allow read, write: if true" pattern that leaves your database open to anyone on the internet.

The second risk is newer, with a clean before-and-after. Until May 14, 2026, apps built in AI Studio's build mode called the Gemini API directly from the browser, so the API key shipped inside the client bundle for anyone to copy out of DevTools. Google now configures new apps to keep the key server-side by default and auto-upgrades older apps the next time their Gemini integration is touched — but an app built before that date and left untouched can still be carrying a client-exposed key today.

ShipSafe doesn't structurally fingerprint "this app was built with AI Studio" the way it does for Lovable or Bolt.new — there's no AI-Studio-specific signature to detect. What it does do: point it at your live app URL or GitHub repo, and it checks your Firestore and Cloud Storage rules for public access and your client bundle for a Gemini key, or any other AI API key, that shouldn't be there.

Common vulnerabilities

Common Vulnerabilities in Google AI Studio Apps

AI Studio's Firebase backend introduces a different class of vulnerabilities than Supabase-based builders — centered on Firestore's rules and how the Gemini key gets wired in.

  1. Firestore Security Rules Left in Test Mode

    Critical

    AI Studio wires new apps to Cloud Firestore, and Firebase's own default for a new project is "test mode" — rules that let any anonymous request read and write, which Firebase's own documentation describes as access for "anyone." It's meant to be temporary, but plenty of apps ship with it untouched. Anyone who pulls your Firebase config out of the bundle can read or overwrite every document in your database.

  2. Firestore Rules That Check Login, Not Ownership

    High

    A tightened rule still isn't the same as a safe one. A common half-fix requires request.auth != null but never checks that the requester actually owns the document, so any signed-in user — not just the record's owner — can read or write every other user's data. The rule set looks locked down at a glance and fails the first real test.

  3. Cloud Storage Rules With the Same Open Default

    High

    Firebase Storage runs on the identical rules language as Firestore, and the same "allow read, write: if true" pattern shows up just as often in storage.rules protecting uploaded files, avatars, and documents. It's the same mistake in a second place, and it's just as easy to miss when you've only checked the database rules.

  4. Gemini API Key Shipped in the Client Bundle

    Critical

    Apps built in AI Studio before May 14, 2026 called the Gemini API directly from the browser, which put the API key inside the client JavaScript for anyone to copy out of DevTools. Google now defaults new apps to a server-side key and auto-upgrades older apps the next time their Gemini integration is edited — but an app left untouched since before that date can still be exposing a live key today.

How ShipSafe Secures Your Google AI Studio App

1

Point ShipSafe at Your App

Give ShipSafe your live app URL or GitHub repo. There's no AI-Studio-specific setup required — it runs the same checks whether AI Studio built your app, another tool did, or you wrote it by hand.

2

Firestore and Storage Rules, Checked Live

ShipSafe reads your Firestore and Cloud Storage security rules, and, where it's safe to do so, makes a real read-only request to prove whether a collection or bucket is actually reachable by an anonymous visitor — not just a guess from the code.

3

Every Key, Traced to Its File and Line

ShipSafe scans your client JavaScript for a Gemini key, any other AI API key, or a Firebase config value that shouldn't be public, and shows you exactly which file it's in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ShipSafe auto-detect Google AI Studio apps?
No — unlike Lovable or Bolt.new, AI Studio doesn't leave a distinctive file signature ShipSafe can fingerprint as "built with AI Studio." What it does check, regardless of what built your app: your Firestore and Cloud Storage security rules for public access, and your client bundle for a Gemini key or other AI API key that shouldn't be there. Point ShipSafe at your app URL or GitHub repo and it runs those checks.
Is Google AI Studio's Firestore backend secure by default?
No. When you create a Firebase project, you choose between Locked mode (deny everyone) and Test mode, which Firebase's own documentation describes as leaving your data open to "anyone." Test mode is meant to be temporary, but plenty of apps go live without ever tightening the rules. ShipSafe checks your actual deployed Firestore and Storage rules, not just the source code.
Is my Gemini API key exposed if I built my app in AI Studio?
It depends on when. Google changed the default around May 14, 2026: new apps now keep the Gemini key server-side automatically, and apps built before that date get upgraded the next time you edit their Gemini integration. If you built your app before then and haven't touched its AI features since, the key may still be sitting in your client bundle. ShipSafe checks for it directly.
What's the difference between Firebase Studio and Google AI Studio?
Firebase Studio was Google's earlier cloud IDE for building apps; Google is sunsetting it, with new workspace creation already disabled and a full shutdown scheduled for March 22, 2027. Google AI Studio's build mode is the replacement for fast, prompt-based app generation, wired to the same Cloud Firestore and Firebase Authentication backend. If your app started life in Firebase Studio, the same Firestore-rules and key-handling risks apply — ShipSafe checks it the same way.
How do I fix an open Firestore or Storage rule set?
In the Firebase console, go to Firestore Database → Rules (and Storage → Rules for Cloud Storage). Replace a rule like "allow read, write: if true" with one that requires authentication, and for anything user-owned, scopes it to that specific user rather than any signed-in account. Redeploy the rules, then re-scan to confirm the collection or bucket no longer returns data to an anonymous request.

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This is an independent comparison provided for informational purposes. All product names, logos, and brands are the property of their respective owners; ShipSafe is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by them. Statements about other products reflect publicly available information at the time of writing and may change, so please verify current details on each provider’s own website.