VIBE CODING ? Then learn from TEA app incident

Written by

C Sarath Chandra
K. Nanda Kishor Reddy
K. Varun

Imagine you downloaded a cool new app called Tea, a place where women can share things between themselves and meet new people, Just a new gen dating app. It’s simple, clean, and trendy. But behind the scenes, something went wrong. Very wrong

Until one day, your private information: name, email, even that cringy selfie you thought looked cute, ends up in the hands of hackers.

Yep. That actually happened.

So... What Went Down?

In July 2025, Tea suffered a massive data breach. Over 200,000 users were affected.

Here’s what got exposed:

  1. Names, phone numbers, and email addresses
  2. Login details (yes, some passwords too)
  3. Partial selfies
  4. Even the internal developer keys the team used to manage the app

It wasn’t just a small “oops.” This was full-on: “your data is now potentially in the hands of strangers” level serious.

Where Did It Go So Wrong?

Tea was built quickly, really quickly, using AI-powered tools. Some developers call this “vibe coding”. Basically, the app was generated more by tools than by hand-written code.

Fast? Yes.

Safe? Not so much.

Let’s break it down:

1. They Left the Door Wide Open

There was a developer-only part of the app that should’ve been locked up tight. It wasn’t. Anyone who stumbled upon the link could access it, no login required.

That’s like accidentally putting your private diary on your apartment’s front steps.

2. They Left Keys Out in the Open

Inside that unsecured section? Secret keys that let the app talk to other services — like cloud storage and user data. These are like master keys. And now the hackers had them.

3. A Simple Number Change Gave Access to Others’ Data

Hackers figured out that changing one number in the website’s URL would show someone else’s data. That’s called an IDOR vulnerability. In human terms? It’s like changing one digit on a hotel room key and suddenly walking into a stranger’s room.

Why Should You Care?

Because apps today know a lot about us. Our names. Our habits. Our photos. Maybe even our location. And when something as basic as access control is ignored, we’re the ones who get burned.

This wasn’t a case of a super-genius hacker cracking the matrix.

This was preventable.

Lessons for Devs and Startups:

Let’s be real, building fast is tempting. But building responsibly matters more.

  • Never leave internal tools exposed publicly
  • Don’t blindly trust what AI generates - review everything
  • Run real security tests before launch
  • Use your brain, not just your tools

Tips for Regular Folks (Yes, You):

  • Be skeptical of shiny new apps that ask for too much
  • Don’t reuse passwords (seriously)
  • Watch for red flags, like apps that crash often or feel half-baked

If something feels off, it probably is.

In the End…

The Tea app didn’t fall because of some evil mastermind.

It fell because people trusted tools too much and skipped the basics.

Because speed was prioritized over safety.

Because someone assumed "vibe coding" would do the job, and forgot to double-check.

Technology is powerful - but only when paired with common sense.

Let’s stop blindly trusting the vibe. And start making sure even vibe coded apps are secure and they don’t put people at risk.