TL;DR
GitHub Copilot is generally safe to use. Your code stays local, and Copilot for Business/Enterprise offers enhanced privacy controls. The main risks are accepting insecure code suggestions without review and potential licensing concerns with generated code. Always review Copilot suggestions for security issues, use .copilotignore for sensitive files, and enable duplicate detection filters.
What is GitHub Copilot?
GitHub Copilot is an AI pair programmer that suggests code as you type. Powered by OpenAI's Codex model and trained on public repositories, it integrates with VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, Neovim, and GitHub.com.
Copilot is operated by GitHub (Microsoft), which gives it enterprise-grade infrastructure and security practices.
Our Verdict
What's Good
- Code stays on your machine
- Enterprise privacy options
- Duplicate detection filter
- GitHub's security backing
- .copilotignore support
What to Watch
- May suggest insecure code
- Code snippets sent for processing
- Licensing concerns exist
- Can generate vulnerabilities
- Privacy mode costs extra
Privacy and Data Handling
What Data Does Copilot Use?
When you use Copilot, it sends context to GitHub's servers to generate suggestions:
- The file you're currently editing
- Related files in your project
- Your prompts and comments
Copilot Plans Compared
| Feature | Individual | Business | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Code used for training | Opt-out available | No | No |
| Prompt retention | May be retained | Not retained | Not retained |
| SOC 2 compliance | No | Yes | Yes |
| IP indemnification | No | No | Yes |
| Admin controls | No | Yes | Yes |
For businesses: Copilot for Business and Enterprise explicitly state that your code is not used for training and prompts are not retained. Individual users should check settings and opt out of telemetry if privacy is a concern.
Security of Generated Code
Like all AI coding tools, Copilot can suggest code with security vulnerabilities. Research has shown Copilot suggestions may include:
- SQL injection vulnerabilities
- Hardcoded credentials (from training data patterns)
- Insecure cryptographic practices
- Missing input validation
- Unsafe deserialization
Always review: Treat Copilot suggestions like code from a junior developer. Review every suggestion for security issues before accepting.
Duplicate Detection
Copilot has a filter to block suggestions that match public code. Enable this in settings to:
- Reduce licensing concerns
- Avoid copying known vulnerable code patterns
- Get more original suggestions
Using Copilot Safely
1. Configure .copilotignore
Create a .copilotignore file to exclude sensitive files from being sent as context:
- .env files
- Configuration with secrets
- Proprietary algorithms
- Private keys
2. Enable Duplicate Detection
In VS Code settings, enable "Copilot: Enable Duplicate Detection" to filter out suggestions matching public code.
3. Review Every Suggestion
Never accept suggestions blindly. Check for:
- Hardcoded values that should be variables
- Missing error handling
- Insecure function calls
- Overly permissive configurations
Copilot vs Cursor
| Aspect | GitHub Copilot | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Backed by | Microsoft/GitHub | Anysphere (startup) |
| Enterprise privacy | Business/Enterprise tiers | Privacy Mode |
| IDE | Extension in existing IDE | Full IDE (VS Code fork) |
| Chat features | Copilot Chat | Built-in chat/composer |
| SOC 2 | Business/Enterprise | Yes |
Does GitHub Copilot store my code?
For Copilot for Business and Enterprise, code snippets and prompts are not retained after generating suggestions. For Individual plans, you can opt out of having your data used for product improvements in settings.
Can Copilot suggestions include copyrighted code?
Copilot may suggest code similar to its training data. Enable the duplicate detection filter to reduce this risk. GitHub Enterprise offers IP indemnification for additional legal protection.
Is Copilot safe for proprietary projects?
For proprietary projects, use Copilot for Business or Enterprise, which provides stronger privacy guarantees. Use .copilotignore for sensitive files and review your organization's policies on AI coding tools.
Does Copilot generate secure code?
Not always. Research shows Copilot can suggest code with security vulnerabilities. Treat suggestions as drafts that need review, especially for authentication, authorization, input validation, and cryptography.