GitHub Advanced Security Test

The GitHub Advanced Security test evaluates candidates' ability to implement secure development practices using GitHub tools, ensuring hiring teams identify skilled professionals in secure, modern DevOps workflows.

Available in

  • English

Summarize this test and see how it helps assess top talent with:

chatgptChatgpt perplexityPerplexity geeminiGemini grokGrok claudeClaude

10 Skills measured

  • GHAS Fundamentals & Core Features
  • Code Scanning Configuration
  • Custom CodeQL Query Writing
  • Secret Scanning & Push Protection
  • Dependency Review & Software Composition Analysis (SCA)
  • GHAS in CI/CD & DevSecOps Pipelines
  • API & CLI Integration
  • Alert Triage, Dashboarding & Reporting
  • Org-Level Security Policies & Permissions
  • Governance, Risk & Compliance with GHAS

Test Type

Coding Test

Duration

45 mins

Level

Intermediate

Questions

25

Use of GitHub Advanced Security Test

The GitHub Advanced Security test is a specialized assessment designed to evaluate a candidate’s ability to implement, manage, and optimize security features within GitHub repositories and workflows. As modern software development relies heavily on collaborative and continuous integration environments, the security of codebases, secrets, and dependencies has become more critical than ever. This test ensures that candidates possess the practical knowledge required to secure the development lifecycle using GitHub’s native tools and best practices. Employers increasingly rely on GitHub Advanced Security to identify vulnerabilities early in the development process. By integrating security directly into the DevOps workflow, teams can mitigate risks before they escalate. The test helps hiring managers assess whether a candidate can effectively utilize GitHub’s capabilities such as code scanning, secret scanning, and dependency review, while also demonstrating a broader understanding of secure coding and repository governance. Skills assessed in this test typically include secure development workflows, policy enforcement, static analysis implementation, management of security alerts, and integration of GitHub Advanced Security features into CI/CD pipelines. The test is relevant for DevSecOps professionals, security engineers, and developers in organizations prioritizing proactive and automated security controls. Incorporating this assessment into the hiring process helps organizations identify candidates who are not only proficient in GitHub but also demonstrate a strong security mindset aligned with modern software development practices.

Skills measured

Evaluates basic understanding of GitHub Advanced Security, including core components like Code Scanning (via CodeQL), Secret Scanning, and Dependency Review. Also covers initial setup, UI navigation (Security tab, Alerts), supported ecosystems, and prerequisites for enabling security features in public, private, or trial repositories.

Tests ability to configure and maintain CodeQL workflows including YAML workflow definitions, running default and custom queries, scheduling scans, managing analysis across languages, and optimizing workflow reusability across repositories. Covers practical use of GitHub Actions and configuring scan behavior on PRs, pushes, and scheduled intervals.

Focuses on the creation and refinement of CodeQL custom queries tailored to unique organizational needs. Assesses understanding of CodeQL syntax, query testing using VS Code and CLI tools, integrating new queries into the scanning pipeline, and managing query packs in private registries. Emphasizes use cases such as detecting custom taint flows and unsafe patterns.

Assesses knowledge of GitHub’s secret scanning capabilities, including pre-commit push protection, scanning for known token formats, triaging alerts, configuring custom patterns using regex, and alert governance. Also evaluates how secrets are managed in forks, private repositories, and how integration with incident response tools is achieved.

Tests ability to manage supply chain security using GitHub’s native dependency review features. Includes evaluating changes in manifest/lock files, interpreting alerts on vulnerable dependencies, applying security upgrades, using SBOM integration, and managing licenses and transitive dependencies.

Evaluates integration of GHAS features into broader DevSecOps CI/CD workflows using GitHub Actions, Jenkins, Azure DevOps, etc. Covers fail-build conditions, artifact security gates, secrets management in workflows, conditional scanning, scan caching, and scan orchestration for monorepos and microservices architectures.

Focuses on using GitHub’s REST and GraphQL APIs, as well as GitHub CLI, to automate security scanning, extract alerts, manage state, and integrate GHAS into dashboards, SIEMs, and ticketing systems. Includes real-world use cases such as alert syncing, metrics aggregation, and batch repo scanning across organizations.

Covers interpreting and managing alerts, resolving false positives, prioritizing vulnerabilities based on CVSS/CWE, and customizing dashboards for development, security, and compliance stakeholders. Also includes historical data trends, audit trails, and security insights visualization across multiple teams and environments.

Evaluates ability to manage security permissions at the organization level, including repository-level GHAS enablement, org-wide enforcement rules, user roles, SAML SSO, audit logging, and setting up security managers. Tests ability to maintain uniform security posture across multiple teams and enforce baseline policies.

Assesses GHAS’s role in supporting secure-by-default strategies, regulatory compliance (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR), and enterprise-wide adoption. Includes risk quantification, integration with GRC tools, audit preparedness, secure software delivery practices, and measuring security maturity with actionable insights.

Hire the best, every time, anywhere

Testlify helps you identify the best talent from anywhere in the world, with a seamless
Hire the best, every time, anywhere

Recruiter efficiency

6x

Recruiter efficiency

Decrease in time to hire

55%

Decrease in time to hire

Candidate satisfaction

94%

Candidate satisfaction

Subject Matter Expert Test

The GitHub Advanced Security Subject Matter Expert

Testlify’s skill tests are designed by experienced SMEs (subject matter experts). We evaluate these experts based on specific metrics such as expertise, capability, and their market reputation. Prior to being published, each skill test is peer-reviewed by other experts and then calibrated based on insights derived from a significant number of test-takers who are well-versed in that skill area. Our inherent feedback systems and built-in algorithms enable our SMEs to refine our tests continually.

Why choose Testlify

Elevate your recruitment process with Testlify, the finest talent assessment tool. With a diverse test library boasting 3000+ tests, and features such as custom questions, typing test, live coding challenges, Google Suite questions, and psychometric tests, finding the perfect candidate is effortless. Enjoy seamless ATS integrations, white-label features, and multilingual support, all in one platform. Simplify candidate skill evaluation and make informed hiring decisions with Testlify.

Related tests

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) for GitHub Advanced Security Test

Expand All

The GitHub Advanced Security test is an assessment designed to evaluate a candidate’s proficiency in using GitHub’s native security features such as CodeQL scanning, secret scanning, and Dependabot alerts to identify and remediate vulnerabilities in code repositories.

You can use this test during the technical screening phase to assess whether candidates can effectively integrate and manage security features within GitHub. It helps ensure they can maintain secure development workflows, particularly in DevSecOps or engineering roles.

DevSecOps Engineer Security Engineer Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) Application Security Engineer DevOps Engineer Cloud Security Architect Software Engineer Automation Engineer Penetration Tester

GHAS Fundamentals & Core Features Code Scanning Configuration Custom CodeQL Query Writing Secret Scanning & Push Protection Dependency Review & Software Composition Analysis (SCA) GHAS in CI/CD & DevSecOps Pipelines API & CLI Integration Alert Triage, Dashboarding & Reporting Org-Level Security Policies & Permissions Governance, Risk & Compliance with GHAS

With the increasing shift to cloud-native and Git-based development, this test ensures candidates can proactively manage code security within GitHub. It verifies hands-on knowledge crucial for maintaining secure pipelines and reducing risk exposure in production environments.

Expand All

Yes, Testlify offers a free trial for you to try out our platform and get a hands-on experience of our talent assessment tests. Sign up for our free trial and see how our platform can simplify your recruitment process.

To select the tests you want from the Test Library, go to the Test Library page and browse tests by categories like role-specific tests, Language tests, programming tests, software skills tests, cognitive ability tests, situational judgment tests, and more. You can also search for specific tests by name.

Ready-to-go tests are pre-built assessments that are ready for immediate use, without the need for customization. Testlify offers a wide range of ready-to-go tests across different categories like Language tests (22 tests), programming tests (57 tests), software skills tests (101 tests), cognitive ability tests (245 tests), situational judgment tests (12 tests), and more.

Yes, Testlify offers seamless integration with many popular Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). We have integrations with ATS platforms such as Lever, BambooHR, Greenhouse, JazzHR, and more. If you have a specific ATS that you would like to integrate with Testlify, please contact our support team for more information.

Testlify is a web-based platform, so all you need is a computer or mobile device with a stable internet connection and a web browser. For optimal performance, we recommend using the latest version of the web browser you’re using. Testlify’s tests are designed to be accessible and user-friendly, with clear instructions and intuitive interfaces.

Yes, our tests are created by industry subject matter experts and go through an extensive QA process by I/O psychologists and industry experts to ensure that the tests have good reliability and validity and provide accurate results.