← Back to Guides

    How to Secure GitHub Copilot

    Step-by-step guide to using GitHub Copilot securely and protecting your codebase.

    GitHub Copilot Security Context

    GitHub Copilot can generate code with security vulnerabilities. Always review suggestions, configure privacy settings, and use GitHub's security features like secret scanning and code scanning.

    Security Checklist

    1

    Review AI-generated code

    Critical

    All Copilot suggestions should be reviewed for security vulnerabilities before accepting.

    2

    Configure code privacy settings

    Critical

    Understand GitHub's data policies and configure Copilot privacy settings appropriately.

    3

    Exclude sensitive files

    Critical

    Use .gitignore and editor settings to prevent sensitive files from being analyzed.

    4

    Audit secrets in codebase

    Critical

    Ensure no API keys or credentials are in files that Copilot can access.

    5

    Enable secret scanning

    Critical

    Use GitHub's secret scanning to detect accidentally committed credentials.

    6

    Review dependency suggestions

    Critical

    Audit packages suggested by Copilot for known vulnerabilities.

    7

    Configure organization policies

    Critical

    Set up organization-level Copilot policies for enterprise use.

    8

    Use Copilot Chat securely

    Critical

    Be careful not to paste sensitive data into Copilot Chat.

    9

    Enable code scanning

    Use GitHub Code Scanning with CodeQL for vulnerability detection.

    10

    Configure Dependabot

    Enable Dependabot for automatic security updates.

    11

    Set up branch protection

    Require code reviews before merging AI-generated code.

    12

    Enable audit logs

    Review Copilot usage in organization audit logs.

    13

    Configure CODEOWNERS

    Set up code owners for security-sensitive files.

    14

    Review commit history

    Audit commits for accidentally included sensitive data.

    15

    Enable two-factor authentication

    Require 2FA for all organization members.

    16

    Run security scan

    Use VibeEval to scan deployed applications.

    Related Resources

    Is GitHub Copilot Safe?

    In-depth security analysis.

    GitHub Copilot Checklist

    Interactive security checklist.

    Automate Your Security Checks

    Let VibeEval scan your application for vulnerabilities.

    Scan Your App