GitHub Copilot for Cybersecurity Professionals

A comprehensive video training course on securing code with AI-assisted development

by Tim Warner | Microsoft Press | 3.5 hours of hands-on training

📚 Course Overview

If you're writing code, GitHub Copilot is already in your workflow. If you're responsible for security, that fact should concern you and excite you in equal measure. Copilot generates code fast—but it's also generating vulnerabilities at the same velocity: SQL injection, XSS, weak cryptography, misconfigured access controls.

This course isn't about banning Copilot. It's about making it your security tool instead of your security problem.

You'll learn how to use GitHub Copilot to:

Detect vulnerabilities in your codebase
Build hardened infrastructure with secure-by-default patterns
Automate security testing end-to-end
Audit code and dependencies systematically
Prove compliance without drowning in manual work

Five lessons. 200 minutes. Real patterns you can ship today.

🎯 What You'll Learn

Lesson 1: Vulnerability Detection with Copilot (40 min)

Configure Copilot for security tasks and secure coding best practices
Identify and mitigate SQL injection vulnerabilities in code
Detect and prevent XSS vulnerabilities with Copilot assistance
Create custom Copilot-assisted vulnerability scanners for proprietary code

Lesson 2: Implement Security Protocols (40 min)

Build secure authentication and authorization systems
Implement encryption and secure key management
Create secure API gateway authentication and enforce least privilege access controls
Design zero-trust network access policies and enforce segmentation rules using IaC

Lesson 3: Automated Security Testing (40 min)

Generate AI-assisted security unit tests for critical functions
Create fuzz testing harnesses with Copilot for input validation
Automate DAST and SAST workflows for web and cloud applications
Build continuous security validation pipelines in CI/CD

Lesson 4: Security Code Review, Threat Modeling, and Auditing (40 min)

Use Copilot Chat to assist in secure code reviews and threat modeling
Automatically generate security review checklists and risk assessment reports
Create custom security linters and static analysis rules for detecting misconfigurations
Automate dependency vulnerability assessments and patching workflows

Lesson 5: Compliance, Incident Response, and Configuration Management (40 min)

Generate compliant infrastructure-as-code templates and security baselines
Automate CIS and NIST benchmark verification scripts
Build STIG compliance validation and auto-remediation tools
Automate security documentation, audit logs, and incident response playbooks with AI

⚡ Quick Start

Prerequisites

Required Knowledge:

Basic programming experience (JavaScript, Python, or Java)
Familiarity with version control (Git/GitHub)
Basic understanding of web application security concepts
Experience with command-line interfaces

Required Tools:

GitHub Account with GitHub Copilot enabled (Get Copilot)
VS Code (latest version) with GitHub Copilot extension
Git (2.x or later)
Docker Desktop (for running vulnerable applications)
Node.js (18.x or later) and npm
Python (3.9 or later)
Java (JDK 17 or later) and Maven
Terraform (1.5 or later)

System Requirements:

8 GB RAM minimum (16 GB recommended)
10 GB free disk space
macOS, Windows 10/11, or Linux

Environment Setup (5 minutes)

Clone this repository:

git clone https://github.com/timothywarner-org/github-copilot-cybersecurity-professionals.git
cd github-copilot-cybersecurity-professionals

Verify prerequisites:

# Check versions
git --version
node --version
python --version
java -version
terraform -version
docker --version

Set up vulnerable applications:

# NodeGoat (Node.js)
cd vulnerable-apps/NodeGoat
npm install
npm start
# Access at http://localhost:4000

# WebGoat (Java)
cd vulnerable-apps/WebGoat
mvn clean install
mvn spring-boot:run
# Access at http://localhost:8080/WebGoat

# TerraGoat (Terraform)
cd vulnerable-apps/TerraGoat
terraform init
# Ready for scanning

# PyGoat (Python)
cd vulnerable-apps/PyGoat
pip install -r requirements.txt
python manage.py runserver
# Access at http://localhost:8000

Configure GitHub Copilot in VS Code:
- Install GitHub Copilot extension
- Sign in with your GitHub account
- Enable Copilot Chat
- Verify with: Press Ctrl+I (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+I (macOS)

📂 Repository Structure

github-copilot-cybersecurity-professionals/
├── README.md                    # This file - start here!
├── Demos/                       # Demo runbooks for each lesson
│   ├── Lesson-01-Demo-Runbook.md
│   ├── Lesson-02-Demo-Runbook.md
│   ├── Lesson-03-Demo-Runbook.md
│   ├── Lesson-04-Demo-Runbook.md
│   ├── Lesson-05-Demo-Runbook.md
│   └── mapping-document.md
├── SECURITY.md                  # Security policy
├── CONTRIBUTING.md              # Contributing guidelines
├── CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md           # Code of conduct
├── .github/                     # Issue/PR templates
├── PPTs/                        # Lesson presentation PDFs
│   ├── copilot-cybersecurity-lesson-01-complete.pdf
│   ├── copilot-cybersecurity-lesson-02-v2.pdf
│   ├── copilot-cybersecurity-lesson-03.pdf
│   ├── Lesson-03-Automated-Security-Testing-PROPER.pdf
│   ├── copilot-cybersecurity-lesson-04-enriched.pdf
│   └── copilot-cybersecurity-lesson-05.pdf
├── vulnerable-apps/             # Intentionally vulnerable applications
│   ├── NodeGoat/               # OWASP Node.js vulnerable app
│   ├── WebGoat/                # OWASP Java vulnerable app
│   ├── TerraGoat/              # Bridgecrew Terraform vulnerable IaC
│   └── PyGoat/                 # OWASP Python vulnerable app
└── LICENSE                      # MIT License

🎓 How to Use This Course

For Students

Recommended Learning Path:

Watch the video lesson for each module (40 minutes each)
Open the corresponding demo runbook in /Demos/
Follow along hands-on using the vulnerable applications
Practice with Copilot using the prompts demonstrated
Repeat for each lesson in sequence

Self-Paced Learning:

Each lesson is self-contained but builds on previous lessons
Budget 1-2 hours per lesson including hands-on practice
Complete all 5 lessons in 1-2 weeks for best retention

Getting Help:

Review the demo runbook's "Common Pitfalls" sections
Check the vulnerable app documentation in each subdirectory
Review the demo runbooks for detailed step-by-step explanations

For Instructors

Teaching Preparation:

Review the demo runbook for your lesson
Set up all vulnerable applications before recording/teaching
Test each Copilot prompt to account for response variations
Review speaker notes in the lesson PDFs

Demo Delivery Tips:

Use the runbooks as your script - they include teaching points, expected outputs, and transitions
The lesson PDF speaker notes use the FRAMER methodology (Frame, Relate, Apply, Metaphor, Expand, Reinforce)
Enterprise examples use fictional companies: Contoso, Fabrikam, Adventure Works, Tailwind Traders, Wide World Importers, Northwind
PRO TIP sections on every slide provide actionable security advice

Recording Guidelines:

Allocate 40 minutes per lesson
Use the demo runbooks for energy/pacing checkpoints
Account for Copilot latency in your timing
Have backup screenshots ready in case Copilot responses vary

🗺️ Lesson Navigation Guide

Lesson 1: Vulnerability Detection with Copilot

Demo Runbook: /Demos/Lesson-01-Demo-Runbook.md Primary App: NodeGoat (vulnerable-apps/NodeGoat) Key Topics: SQL injection, XSS, custom scanners, CodeQL