MVP Security Checklist for Founders
A practical MVP security checklist covering auth, secrets, payments, access control, backups, logging, and the minimum protections founders should not skip.
Early-stage products do not need enterprise compliance theater, but they do need basic security hygiene. Security mistakes in version one are rarely about advanced attacks. They are about simple negligence in auth, secrets, and permissions.
The non-negotiables
- Use managed authentication and enforce password resets safely
- Store secrets in environment variables, never in source code
- Apply role-based access checks on the server, not just in the UI
- Back up production data and test restoration periodically
- Use HTTPS, secure cookies, and verified webhook signatures
What founders should review before launch
- Who can view or edit customer data
- How payment events are validated
- Whether admin actions are logged
- What happens if a user account is compromised
Security is a trust feature
For a startup MVP, good security is less about chasing every theoretical threat and more about proving you handle user trust responsibly from day one.
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