Cursor vs GitHub Copilot Security
Cursor and GitHub Copilot are leading AI coding assistants. Both can suggest insecure code, but their approaches to code context and privacy differ.
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The Verdict
Both tools can introduce security issues through AI suggestions. Cursor offers more granular privacy controls, while Copilot has a longer track record and enterprise adoption.
Review all AI suggestions before accepting. Use privacy features for sensitive codebases. Scan your final application regardless of which tool you use.
Industry Security Context
When comparing Cursor vs GitHub Copilot, consider these broader security trends.
of Lovable applications (170 out of 1,645) had exposed user data in the CVE-2025-48757 incident
Source: CVE-2025-48757 security advisory
of data breaches involve databases with misconfigured access controls
Source: Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report
average cost of a data breach in 2023
Source: IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023
“Vibe coding your way to a production codebase is clearly risky. Most of the work we do as software engineers involves evolving existing systems, where the quality and understandability of the underlying code is crucial.”
Using Cursor or GitHub Copilot?
Regardless of which platform you choose, VAS scans for security issues specific to your stack.
Start Security ScanFrequently Asked Questions
Does my code get sent to AI servers?
Yes, both tools send code context to cloud servers for AI processing. Cursor offers privacy mode to limit this. Copilot for Business offers enterprise data protection. For highly sensitive code, consider local AI alternatives like Tabnine's local-only mode.
Which tool suggests more secure code?
Neither is consistently more secure. Both can suggest vulnerable patterns (SQL injection, hardcoded secrets, etc.). Research shows 38% of AI code suggestions contain security issues. Always review suggestions, especially for auth, database queries, and secret handling.
Can AI coding assistants access my environment variables?
They can see .env files if not excluded. Use .cursorignore for Cursor or ensure .env is in .gitignore (which Copilot respects). Never accept suggestions that hardcode values that should be secrets.