GitHub Advanced Security Study Guide 2025: Updated Prep Materials
Get ready for the GitHub Advanced Security certification with our comprehensive 2025 study guide. Updated with the latest exam objectives, study strategies, and expert tips to help you pass on your first attempt.
Exam Quick Facts
Why This 2025 Guide?
Prepared with the latest exam objectives and proven study strategies
2025 Updated
Reflects the latest exam objectives and content updates for 2025
Exam Aligned
Covers all current exam domains with accurate weightings
Proven Strategies
Time-tested study techniques from successful candidates
Fast Track Path
Efficient study plan to pass on your first attempt
Complete Study Materials
Comprehensive 2025 study guide for GitHub Advanced Security
Complete Study Guide for GitHub Advanced Security Certification
The GitHub Advanced Security certification validates your expertise in implementing and managing security features within GitHub repositories. This certification demonstrates proficiency in code scanning, secret detection, dependency management, and security governance - essential skills for DevSecOps professionals working with GitHub Enterprise.
Who Should Take This Exam
- DevSecOps Engineers
- Security Engineers working with GitHub
- Application Security professionals
- Development Team Leads implementing security practices
- Cloud Security Specialists using Azure and GitHub
- Software Engineers responsible for secure code practices
Prerequisites
- Basic understanding of Git and GitHub workflows
- Familiarity with software development lifecycle
- Understanding of common security vulnerabilities (OWASP Top 10)
- Basic knowledge of CI/CD pipelines
- Experience with at least one programming language
- Fundamental understanding of dependency management
Official Resources
GitHub Advanced Security Documentation
Comprehensive official documentation covering all GitHub Advanced Security features
View ResourceCode Scanning Documentation
Official guide to setting up and using code scanning with CodeQL
View ResourceSecret Scanning Documentation
Complete guide to secret scanning features and configuration
View ResourceDependabot Documentation
Official documentation for dependency management and security updates
View ResourceSecurity Advisories Documentation
Guide to managing security advisories in repositories
View ResourceGitHub Security Best Practices
Best practices for implementing security at organization level
View ResourceCodeQL Documentation
Complete CodeQL reference for writing custom queries and analysis
View ResourceGitHub Learning Pathways
Microsoft Learn modules for GitHub including security topics
View ResourceGitHub Actions Security Hardening
Security best practices for GitHub Actions workflows
View ResourceRecommended Courses
Recommended Books
Practical GitHub Actions: Learn to automate workflows, tackle security, and optimize CI/CD
by Michaël Kaufmann
Comprehensive guide to GitHub Actions including security implementations and best practices for automation
View on AmazonGitHub Essentials: Unleash the power of collaborative development workflows using GitHub
by Achilleas Pipinellis
Covers GitHub fundamentals including security features and collaboration workflows
View on AmazonDevSecOps: A leader's guide to producing secure software without compromising flow, feedback and continuous improvement
by Glenn Wilson
Contextualizes security automation and DevSecOps practices applicable to GitHub Advanced Security
View on AmazonLearning GitHub Actions: Automation and Integration of CI/CD with GitHub
by Brent Laster
Deep dive into GitHub Actions with security workflow patterns and integration strategies
View on AmazonPractice & Hands-On Resources
GitHub Advanced Security Hands-on Labs
Interactive labs provided by Microsoft Learn for practicing GHAS features
View ResourceGitHub Skills - Security Courses
Free interactive courses with automated feedback on security implementations
View ResourceCodeQL CTF Challenges
Capture-the-flag style challenges to practice CodeQL query writing
View ResourceGitHub Free Tier
Test basic security features with GitHub Free for public repositories
View ResourceDependabot Demo Repository
Fork and practice with repositories designed for Dependabot testing
View ResourceGitHub Security Lab Research
Real-world security research and vulnerability examples for learning
View ResourceCodeQL Query Library
Browse and study existing CodeQL queries for various languages
View ResourceCommunity & Forums
GitHub Community Discussions
Official GitHub community forum with security topics and expert responses
Join Communityr/github
Active Reddit community discussing GitHub features, issues, and best practices
Join Communityr/devops
DevOps community frequently discussing GitHub security and CI/CD practices
Join CommunityGitHub Blog - Security
Official GitHub blog with security feature announcements and best practices
Join CommunityStack Overflow - GitHub
Technical Q&A for GitHub-related programming and configuration issues
Join CommunityMicrosoft Tech Community - GitHub
Microsoft community discussions including GitHub and Azure DevOps topics
Join CommunityStudy Tips
Hands-on Practice Strategy
- Create a test organization with multiple repositories to practice organization-level configurations
- Fork open-source projects and enable all GHAS features to see real-world alerts
- Practice with at least 3-4 different programming languages for code scanning
- Intentionally commit test secrets and vulnerabilities to practice detection and remediation
- Set up a personal lab environment with different repository configurations to test all features
CodeQL Mastery
- Start with GitHub's CodeQL query library and study existing queries before writing your own
- Practice writing queries for the language you know best first, then expand
- Use the CodeQL playground in VS Code for rapid query development and testing
- Understand the difference between path-problem and alert queries
- Study common vulnerability patterns and how they're detected in CodeQL
- Learn to read and interpret Abstract Syntax Trees (AST) for code analysis
Secret Scanning Focus Areas
- Memorize the list of supported secret types and partner providers
- Understand push protection bypass scenarios and when they're appropriate
- Practice creating custom patterns using regular expressions
- Know the difference between generic secrets and partner patterns
- Study proper secret rotation procedures for different credential types
- Understand the audit trail for secret scanning events
Dependabot Configuration
- Practice writing dependabot.yml files for multiple ecosystems (npm, pip, Maven, NuGet, etc.)
- Understand version update strategies and scheduling options
- Learn to configure private registry authentication for various package managers
- Know how to group dependencies and customize pull request behavior
- Study the difference between security updates and version updates
- Practice triaging and prioritizing vulnerability alerts
Exam-Specific Preparation
- Focus heavily on configuration syntax and YAML files for Dependabot and Actions
- Understand the percentage weights: Code Scanning (30%) gets most questions
- Know the API endpoints and REST API usage for security features
- Memorize organization-level vs repository-level permission requirements
- Study the security overview dashboard metrics and filtering options
- Understand license seat consumption for GitHub Advanced Security
- Know branch protection rule options specific to security features
Documentation Navigation
- Bookmark key documentation sections for quick reference during study
- Use GitHub's documentation search effectively by including version numbers
- Study the changelog to understand recent feature updates
- Read troubleshooting sections for common issues and solutions
- Review API documentation even if not a developer - endpoints indicate feature capabilities
- Pay attention to GitHub Enterprise Cloud vs Server feature differences
Exam Day Tips
- 1Review the 4 main domains and their weightings before starting: Code Scanning (30%), Secret Scanning (25%), Dependency Management (25%), Security Policies (20%)
- 2Time management is crucial: 120 minutes for 75 questions means roughly 1.6 minutes per question
- 3Read questions carefully - many will test understanding of when to use features, not just what they do
- 4Look for keywords in questions: 'organization-level', 'repository-level', 'required', 'recommended'
- 5Questions about YAML configuration will likely appear - know the syntax for dependabot.yml and workflow files
- 6If unsure about a question, eliminate obviously wrong answers first, then make an educated guess
- 7Flag difficult questions and return to them - don't let one question consume too much time
- 8Pay attention to scenario-based questions requiring you to recommend the best solution
- 9Remember that push protection is different from secret scanning - they're often confused in questions
- 10CodeQL query questions may test understanding of query structure and results interpretation
- 11Know the difference between Dependabot alerts, security updates, and version updates
- 12Understanding audit logging and compliance reporting is crucial for governance questions
- 13Some questions may reference specific file names like SECURITY.md or dependabot.yml
- 14Review your answers if time permits, especially checking for misread questions
Study guide generated on January 8, 2026
GitHub Advanced Security 2025 Study Guide FAQs
GitHub Advanced Security is a professional certification from Microsoft Azure that validates expertise in github advanced security technologies and concepts. The official exam code is GH-ADVANCED-SECURITY.
The GitHub Advanced Security Study Guide 2025 includes updated content reflecting the latest exam changes, new technologies, and best practices. It covers all current exam objectives and domains.
Yes, the 2025 GitHub Advanced Security study guide has been updated with new content, revised exam objectives, and the latest industry trends. It reflects all changes made to the GH-ADVANCED-SECURITY exam.
Start by reviewing the exam objectives in the 2025 guide, then work through each section systematically. Combine your study with practice exams to reinforce your learning.
More 2025 Resources
Complete your exam preparation with these resources