Pretense vs GitHub Secret Scanning
GitHub Secret Scanning protects your git repository. It does nothing to protect code you send to Copilot, Cursor, or Claude Code. Pretense fills that gap with pre-send mutation.
GitHub Secret Scanning
GitHub Secret Scanning scans git commits and pull requests for secrets like API keys and tokens. It alerts repository owners when exposed credentials are found. It is a post-commit, git-layer tool and has no mechanism to protect what developers actively send to AI coding assistants.
Pretense
Pretense operates at the AI API layer, not the git layer. It intercepts every request your AI coding tool sends to LLM providers and mutates proprietary identifiers before transmission. This protects both code content and secrets that never touch git.
Feature Comparison
Side-by-side view of how Pretense and GitHub Secret Scanning compare on the capabilities that matter most to security teams.
Why Teams Switch from GitHub Secret Scanning
Two different threat surfaces
GitHub Secret Scanning protects committed code in repositories. Pretense protects code in flight to AI APIs. These are different threat surfaces. A developer can paste proprietary code into a Copilot prompt, have it sent to Microsoft servers, and GitHub Secret Scanning never fires because nothing was committed. Pretense catches that.
AI tools see code that never enters git
Developers frequently ask AI tools about code that exists only in their working directory. Untracked files, scratch work, and prototype code all get sent to AI providers without ever touching a git commit. GitHub Secret Scanning has zero visibility here. Pretense protects all of it.
From reactive to proactive
Secret scanning is a reactive control. It finds what leaked after the fact. Pretense is a proactive control. It prevents exposure before it occurs. For proprietary algorithms, business logic, and trade secrets, proactive is the only acceptable posture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use both GitHub Secret Scanning and Pretense?
Yes, they are complementary. GitHub Secret Scanning protects your git repositories. Pretense protects what developers send to AI tools. Both controls are needed for comprehensive coverage.
Does Pretense replace push protection in GitHub?
No. GitHub push protection prevents secrets from being committed to repositories. Pretense prevents secrets and proprietary code from being sent to LLM APIs. These protect different parts of your attack surface.
Can Pretense detect secrets in AI prompts?
Yes. Pretense runs 30+ secret patterns against every prompt before transmission. API keys, tokens, connection strings, private keys, and PII are blocked at the edge with a clear error message.
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