The GH-500: GitHub Advanced Security certification is designed for security professionals, developers, and system administrators who are responsible for securing software development and deployment pipelines within GitHub. This exam validates the candidate’s ability to configure, manage, and operate GitHub Advanced Security (GHAS) tools, including code, secret, and dependency scanning, to safeguard applications and protect sensitive information.

This certification is essential for professionals who need to demonstrate expertise in using GitHub Advanced Security to mitigate vulnerabilities, detect and prevent security issues, and manage security at scale within an enterprise development environment.

Overview of the GH-500 GitHub Advanced Security Certification Exam

Duration: 100 minutes

Total Questions: 65 questions, approximately

Passing Score: 700/1000 (scaled score)

Languages Available: English, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Korean, Japanese

GitHub Advanced Security GH-500 Exam Domains

The GH-500 certification exam consists of six key domains, each with a specific weight. Here’s an overview of the domains:

GH-500 Exam Domains	Percentage of Exam (%)
Domain 1: Describe the GHAS security features and functionality	15%
Domain 2: Configure and use secret scanning	15%
Domain 3: Configure and use Dependabot and Dependency Review (dependency management)	35%
Domain 4: Configure and use Code Scanning with CodeQL	25%
Domain 5: Describe GitHub Advanced Security best practices, results, and how to take corrective measures	10%
Total	100%

As indicated in the table, Domain 3: Configure and use Dependabot and Dependency Review (dependency management) carries the most significant weight at 35%, underscoring its importance in the exam. While this domain is critical, successful candidates must also focus on all domains to ensure a well-rounded understanding of GitHub Advanced Security’s functionality and application.

For optimal performance on the GH-500 exam, it is essential to approach each domain holistically. The domains are interrelated, and proficiency in one often supports a deeper understanding of others. Neglecting any single domain could create knowledge gaps that may affect overall exam readiness and performance.

GH-500 Exam Topics List

This section outlines the primary areas that will be tested in the GH-500 exam. Understanding these topics will help you focus on the areas with the most weight in the exam.

1. Domain 1: Describe the GHAS security features and functionality (15%)

   • Understand the key tools within GHAS and their role in securing the software development lifecycle (SDLC).

   • Familiarize yourself with GitHub’s security features like Code Scanning, Secret Scanning, Dependency Review, and more.

2. Domain 2: Configure and use secret scanning (15%)

   • Learn to configure Secret Scanning to identify sensitive data (API keys, credentials) in GitHub repositories.

   • Understand how to manage and remediate secret leaks, and how to use push protection to prevent them in pull requests.

3. Domain 3: Configure and use Dependabot and Dependency Review (dependency management) (35%)

   • Gain expertise in managing and configuring Dependabot for automated dependency updates and vulnerability alerts.

   • Learn how to use Dependency Review to detect security risks in dependency changes.

   • Understand SBOM (Software Bill of Materials) and how it helps in managing vulnerabilities within dependencies.

4. Domain 4: Configure and use Code Scanning with CodeQL (25%)

   • Master CodeQL for code scanning and detecting vulnerabilities in your codebase.

   • Learn how to configure GitHub Actions for automating CodeQL scans in CI/CD workflows.

   • Understand how to write and customize CodeQL queries to detect complex vulnerabilities.

5. Domain 5: Describe GitHub Advanced Security best practices, results, and how to take corrective measures (10%)

   • Learn best practices for configuring GHAS tools across repositories and organizations.

   • Understand how to interpret scan results and prioritize remediation actions based on risk.

   • Focus on automating security policies and ensuring continuous security enforcement throughout the SDLC.

Study Materials and Resources

Before attempting the GitHub Advanced Security (GH-500) exam, it is crucial to explore the following study materials to deepen your understanding of the exam’s topics:

1. Microsoft Learn – This website offers a variety of learning paths for different Microsoft certifications. For the GH-500 certification exam, you can focus on the following topics:

   • GH-500 Overview

   • GH-500 official study guide

   • Learning paths and modules related to GH-500

2. GitHub Advanced Security Documentation – The documents provide an overview of GitHub’s advanced security capabilities, helping organizations protect their code, manage vulnerabilities, and maintain a secure software development lifecycle. Focus on the documentation for:

   • Code Scanning with CodeQL: Identify and fix security vulnerabilities using GitHub’s static analysis engine, CodeQL.

   • Secret Scanning: Automatically detect exposed credentials and prevent unauthorized access.

   • Dependency and Supply Chain Security: Find and resolve vulnerabilities in open-source dependencies.

   • Security Management and Policies: Implement and enforce organization-wide security standards and repository protections.

   • Automation and Integration with GitHub Actions: Integrate security tools into your CI/CD workflows for continuous protection.

   • Access Control and Compliance: Manage permissions, enforce security boundaries, and maintain audit compliance.

3. GitHub Blog – Stay updated with the latest GitHub Advanced Security features and best practices. The GitHub Blog frequently posts updates and tips related to security, code scanning, supply-chain protection, and more.

4. GitHub FAQs – The GitHub documentation includes comprehensive FAQ sections that answer common questions about GitHub Advanced Security, including best practices, privacy settings, and subscription plans.

5. GitHub Free Account – GitHub offers a free trial and access to various Copilot and GitHub Advanced Security features.

6. Tutorials Dojo’s GitHub Cheat Sheet – With the help of our cheat sheets, you can easily understand the information found in the GitHub documentation. These are presented in bullet point format to highlight the essential concepts.

7. Tutorials Dojo’s GitHub Foundations (GH-500) Practice Exams – Coming Soon!

Key Concepts to Focus On

Your primary source of information when studying for the GH‑500 exam is the Microsoft Learn documentation and GitHub Advanced Security feature documents. To comprehend the different scenarios in the exam, you should have a thorough understanding of the following service/feature sets:

• Secret Scanning & Push Protection: Understand how scans detect secrets in code and how to manage alerts and permissions.

• Dependency Management & SBOM: Learn how the dependency graph is built, how vulnerabilities are detected via Dependabot, how to author Dependabot configuration, and how Dependency Review works.

• Code Scanning with CodeQL / Third‑Party Tools: Know how to enable code scanning, customize workflows, interpret alerts, use SARIF format, and integrate with GitHub Actions.

• Security Policies & Governance in GitHub at Scale: Understand how to enforce security via repository rulesets, alerts, access roles, and how GHAS integrates into DevOps pipelines.

• Best Practices & Remediation Workflows: Learn about CVEs, CWEs, alert lifecycle, decision-making (dismiss vs. remediate), severity thresholds, and prioritization of alerts.

Exam Prep Materials for the GitHub Advanced Security GH-300

To perform better on the GH-500 GitHub Advanced Security Certification exam, it is essential to engage with comprehensive, hands-on practice and study materials. Below are the key resources you should utilize for your preparation:

Free Hands-On Labs

• Free Git for Beginners with Hands-On Labs available in the Tutorials Dojo Portal

GitHub Advanced Security Part 1 of 2

• This first part introduces GitHub Advanced Security tools and workflows. It covers the foundational security features and how to set them up in GitHub.

GitHub Advanced Security Part 2 of 2

• The second part delves deeper into using GHAS tools effectively. It covers advanced topics such as integrating security tools into CI/CD pipelines, customizing workflows, and securing your codebase.

Practice Assessment

• Taking a Practice Assessment is one of the best ways to gauge your readiness for the exam. This simulation mirrors the GH-500 exam and helps you assess your understanding across the exam’s domains. The practice assessment covers a wide range of topics, ensuring you’re well-prepared for the real exam.

To learn more about the GH-500 exam, you can visit the official GitHub Learn page for the GitHub Advanced Security (GH-500) certification. This page provides the most up-to-date information, including the link to schedule your GH-500 exam and access the official Exam Guide.

Final Remarks

Success in the GH‑500 exam requires both theoretical understanding and practical experience with GitHub Advanced Security features. Focus your study on official Microsoft and GitHub documentation, engage in hands‑on activities within GitHub to enable and test the features, and use mock exams to test your knowledge. With this structured study path, you will be well‑equipped to pass the GH‑500 certification. Good luck with your preparation!