Securing Your Shopify App: New AI‑Powered Checks and Expiring Tokens

Shopify’s ecosystem thrives on trust—merchants install apps because they believe the App Store vetting process is solid. Yet, with AI‑driven attackers on the rise, Shopify is demanding a new level of security from every app developer. This week’s developer changelog, “Securing your app, together,” rolls out a suite of mandatory steps: an AI‑powered security check, migration to expiring access tokens, mandatory vulnerability scanning, stricter API‑access controls, and reinforced account protection. Below we break down each change, who it impacts, and the concrete actions you need to take right now.

Why This Update Matters

Shopify reports a surge in attacks that exploit common app weaknesses—unauthenticated routes, cross‑shop data leaks, and unchecked webhooks. Because a compromised app can expose every merchant that installed it, the platform is shifting security from a “nice‑to‑have” to a non‑negotiable baseline. Failure to comply not only risks data breaches but also puts your app’s listing at risk of removal from the App Store.

New AI‑Powered Security Check

Shopify’s AI Toolkit now offers a one‑click “Security Check” that scans your codebase for Shopify‑specific vulnerabilities. It looks for things like:

• Unauthenticated public routes

• Cross‑shop data access patterns

• Unverified webhook endpoints

• Hard‑coded API keys

Run the check from your Partner Dashboard or via the CLI: shopify app security scan . The tool returns a JSON report highlighting each finding and provides remediation tips. Early‑access partners reported previously unknown gaps, so treat the results as a mandatory audit before you ship updates.

Expiring Access Tokens – Migration Guide

Shopify is deprecating perpetual access tokens in favor of short‑lived tokens (TTL ≈ 1 hour) that can be refreshed with a signed JWT. Public apps will be required to use the new flow by Q2 2025, but you should start now to avoid a last‑minute scramble.

Update your OAuth flow to request the offline_access scope only for the initial refresh token.

Store the refresh token securely (e.g., encrypted env var or secret manager).

Exchange the refresh token for a short‑lived token on each API call:

bash

curl -X POST https://{shop}.myshopify.com/admin/oauth/access_token \

-d "client_id=$API_KEY" \

-d "client_secret=$API_SECRET" \

-d "grant_type=refresh_token" \

-d "refresh_token=$REFRESH_TOKEN"

Cache the short‑lived token for its TTL and automatically request a new one when it expires. This limits exposure if a token is leaked, because the window of misuse shrinks to minutes.

Vulnerability Scanners and Data Sanitization

Beyond the AI check, Shopify urges you to integrate a third‑party scanner (e.g., Snyk, OWASP ZAP) into your CI pipeline. Scan every public endpoint—both the app’s own servers and any serverless functions. Treat all rendered data, whether pulled from metafields, third‑party APIs, or your own DB, as untrusted. Use libraries like DOMPurify (for HTML) or built‑in Rails strong parameters to escape and sanitize inputs before rendering.

Monitoring API Activity & IP Restrictions

The Dev Dashboard now lets you filter API logs by client IP. Set up alerts for spikes or requests from unknown IP ranges. If you see suspicious activity, you can immediately revoke the offending token from the Partner Dashboard.

Additionally, Shopify is adding IP address restrictions for storefront app keys. In your app’s configuration, whitelist only the IPs of your production servers:

{

"allowed_ip_ranges": ["203.0.113.0/24", "198.51.100.42"]

}

Any request from outside these ranges will be rejected, dramatically reducing the attack surface.

Strengthening Account Protection

Every person who can touch your app’s code or credentials must enable two‑step authentication (2SA). This includes:

• Partner account

• Hosting provider console

• CDN management UI

• Code repositories (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket)

• Email accounts used for alerts

Audit your team regularly and remove access for anyone who no longer needs it. Keep the emergency developer email up‑to‑date in the Partner Dashboard so Shopify can reach a live responder if a breach is detected.

Next Steps for Developers

Run the AI security scan today and address every reported issue.

Begin migrating to expiring access tokens using the sample code above.

Add a vulnerability scanner to your CI/CD pipeline.

Implement IP whitelisting for all app keys.

Enable 2SA on every account and update your emergency contact.

Review Shopify’s security best‑practice guide (https://shopify.dev/docs/security) and bookmark it for future reference.

If you discover a flaw, email partner-security-reports@shopify.com immediately. You’re responsible for fixing the issue and notifying affected merchants, but Shopify will assist throughout the process.

Conclusion & Call to Action

Security is no longer optional—it’s the foundation of a thriving Shopify app ecosystem. By adopting the AI‑driven security check, moving to short‑lived tokens, tightening API access, and hardening your team’s accounts, you protect both your merchants and your brand reputation. Start the checklist today, share your progress with your development team, and keep your app compliant before the mandatory deadlines roll out. Need help? Reach out to Shopify’s partner support or join the security‑focused Slack channel in the Partner Community.