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Security Guide 15 min read

Common AI Vulnerabilities: The Top 10 Security Risks in AI-Generated Code

AI coding assistants are revolutionizing development, but they're also introducing new security risks. Learn about the most common vulnerabilities in AI-generated code and how to prevent them.

Published: September 7, 2025
Updated: September 7, 2025

🚨 Executive Summary

Research from Veracode shows that 45% of AI-generated code fails security tests. CodeRabbit analysis indicates AI code has 1.7× more defects than human code. While AI assistants boost productivity, they often suggest insecure patterns that can lead to data breaches.

45%
AI code fails security tests
1.7×
More defects than humans
$4.88M
Average breach cost

Top 10 AI Code Vulnerabilities

#1 SQL Injection

Critical

AI assistants frequently suggest string concatenation for database queries, creating SQL injection vulnerabilities.

❌ Vulnerable Pattern

// AI assistant suggestion
app.post('/login', async (req, res) => {
const { user, pass } = req.body;
const sql = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE username='" + user + "' AND password='" + pass + "';";
const result = await db.query(sql);
// Vulnerable to: ' OR '1'='1' --
});

✅ Secure Pattern

// CodeMarine recommended fix
app.post('/login', async (req, res) => {
const { user, pass } = req.body;
const sql = 'SELECT * FROM users WHERE username=? AND password_hash=?';
const result = await db.query(sql, [user, hashPassword(pass)]);
// Parameterized query prevents injection
});

🛡️ CodeMarine Detection

Detects string concatenation in SQL queries and suggests parameterized alternatives in real-time.

#2 Command Injection

Critical

AI assistants often suggest using exec() or system() calls with user input, enabling remote code execution.

❌ Vulnerable Pattern

// AI suggested "quick" solution
app.get('/backup', (req, res) => {
const filename = req.query.file;
exec(`tar -czf backup.tar.gz ${filename}`, (err) => {
// Vulnerable to: file.txt; rm -rf /
});
});

✅ Secure Pattern

// Secure alternative
app.get('/backup', (req, res) => {
const filename = req.query.file;
const allowedFiles = ['data.txt', 'config.json'];
if (!allowedFiles.includes(filename)) return res.status(400).send('Invalid file');
execFile('tar', ['-czf', 'backup.tar.gz', filename], (err) => {
});
});

🪖 Sarge Says

"If it shells, it smells. Use allowlists and execFile() with argument arrays."

#3 JWT Verification Bypass

Critical

AI assistants often confuse jwt.decode() with jwt.verify(), creating authentication bypasses.

❌ Vulnerable Pattern

// AI "simplified" auth
app.get('/admin', (req, res) => {
const token = req.headers.authorization?.replace('Bearer ', '');
const payload = jwt.decode(token); // No verification!
if (payload?.role === 'admin') {
return res.send('Admin access granted');
}
});

✅ Secure Pattern

// Proper JWT verification
app.get('/admin', (req, res) => {
const token = req.headers.authorization?.replace('Bearer ', '');
const payload = jwt.verify(token, PUBLIC_KEY, {
algorithms: ['RS256'],
issuer: 'trusted-issuer',
audience: 'my-app'
});
if (payload?.role === 'admin') {
return res.send('Admin access granted');
}
});

Complete Vulnerability Reference

Rank Vulnerability Severity Common in AI Code Detection
#1 SQL Injection Critical 89% String concatenation patterns
#2 Command Injection Critical 76% exec() with user input
#3 JWT Verification Bypass Critical 68% decode() vs verify() confusion
#4 Insecure Deserialization High 61% Unsafe pickle/JSON parsing
#5 Hardcoded Secrets High 58% API keys, passwords in code
#6 Path Traversal High 54% Unvalidated file paths
#7 XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) Medium 49% Unescaped user input
#8 Weak Cryptography Medium 43% MD5, SHA1, weak keys
#9 CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) Medium 38% Missing CSRF tokens
#10 Insecure Direct Object References Medium 35% Missing authorization checks

Prevention Strategies

🛡️ Real-Time Protection

  • • Use CodeMarine for real-time vulnerability detection
  • • Configure IDE security extensions
  • • Enable pre-commit security hooks
  • • Set up automated security scanning

📚 Developer Education

  • • Train teams on secure coding patterns
  • • Implement security code review processes
  • • Create security-focused AI prompts
  • • Regular security awareness sessions

Secure Your AI-Generated Code Today

Don't let AI vulnerabilities compromise your applications. CodeMarine provides real-time protection against all these common vulnerabilities and more.

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Related Security Guides

SQL Injection Prevention

Deep dive into preventing SQL injection in AI-generated code.

Command Injection Guide

Comprehensive guide to preventing command injection attacks.

Secure Coding Patterns

Best practices and patterns for secure AI-assisted development.