GitHub Advanced Security study guide
GitHub Advanced Security · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
GitHub Advanced Security (GHAS) is one of the credentials in the GitHub Certification Program, which GitHub describes as providing industry-recognized credentials that validate your proficiency with GitHub technologies. The GHAS exam is aimed at people who already work hands-on with GitHub and its security features and who secure software development workflows day to day - security engineers, platform and DevOps engineers, and developers who own code security in their repositories. GitHub states the exam is designed for individuals who have a deep understanding of GitHub and its security features, as well as hands-on experience in securing software development workflows. The exam is delivered in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean and Japanese, and is taken through Pearson VUE either at a testing center or via online proctoring. GitHub's published exam mechanics apply across its certification exams: 100 minutes, 60 scored multiple-choice questions plus roughly 10 to 15 pretest items, closed-book, and a fee of $99 USD, with regional pricing possible. There are no formal prerequisites, but GitHub recommends a working knowledge of GitHub. Topics on this exam: GitHub Advanced Security (skills measured per exam study guide). The GitHub Advanced Security study guide has 1 section and about 2,270 words.
01Describe GitHub Advanced Security features and capabilities
This domain tests whether you can map a requirement to the right GitHub Advanced Security (GHAS) capability, and state where that capability is available and how it is billed. Items are usually short scenarios: a plan, a repository visibility and a desired outcome, from which you choose the feature or the licensing consequence. Code scanning - CodeQL semantic analysis, or SARIF results uploaded from third-party tools; produces per-branch alerts in the Security tab. Secret scanning - detects partner and custom patterns in git history; push protection blocks a push containing a supported secret before it lands.
2,270 words, about 11 minMore study resources for GitHub Advanced Security
- Practice questionsWhich GitHub Advanced Security feature scans a repository's dependency graph and raises Dependabot alerts when a package version matches a known advisory?
- FlashcardsGHAS feature bundle. GitHub Advanced Security bundles code scanning with CodeQL, secret scanning with push protection, and Dependabot with dependency review; it is a paid add-on for private repositories on GitHub Enterprise.
- Cheat sheetGHAS is a paid add-on for GitHub Enterprise Cloud and GitHub Enterprise Server that bundles code scanning (CodeQL), secret scanning with push protection, and Dependabot with dependency review.
- Key termsCodeQL. GitHub's semantic code analysis engine that compiles a database from source and runs queries against it to find security vulnerabilities.
- Study planMap every topic in the official study guide to a personal checklist and rate current confidence 1-5 per topic.
- Common mistakesThe GitHub UI groups all three under a single 'Dependabot' settings area, and many candidates have only used one of them day to day, so they assume enabling alerts also remediates dependencies automatically.
- Exam-day guideBring the exact ID document required by the exam provider.