github / github/codeql

GHAS-managed workflows reference mutable action versions, incompatible with required SHA-pinning policies

Abierto
#21,732 7 comentarios 5 reacciones 0 asignados Ver en GitHub
question
Lenguaje dominante
CodeQL
Estrellas
10.1k
Forks
2.1k
Merge medio
2 d 15 h
PR fusionados (30 d)
141

Descripción

## Summary

GitHub Advanced Security (including dynamic analysis and Copilot code review) uses GitHub Actions workflows that reference external actions by mutable labels (e.g. `actions/setup-dotnet@v5`). When an organization enables the recommended policy **“Require actions to be pinned to a full-length commit SHA”**, these workflows fail or remain indefinitely queued.

This puts customers in a position where they must weaken their supply-chain security posture in order to run GitHub’s own security tooling, which should not be required.

## Details

We have an organization with the following Actions policies enabled:

* Require actions to be pinned to a full-length commit SHA
* Allow select actions and reusable workflows (deny by default)

With this posture:

* GitHub Advanced Security **dynamic analysis** fails to run because it references actions such as:
* `actions/setup-dotnet@v5`
* The **Copilot code review** dynamic workflow now fails for the same reason, due to additional external actions referenced by mutable tags

These workflows are **GitHub-managed** and **not user-editable**, so customers cannot remediate the issue by pinning SHAs themselves.

## Expected behavior

GitHub Advanced Security and Copilot security workflows should be compatible with GitHub’s own recommended supply‑chain security controls.

At least one of the following should be true:

* GitHub-managed workflows use **full commit SHAs**, or
* GitHub provides an explicit **first‑party exemption mechanism** that does not require weakening org policy, or
* GitHub publishes **documented, pinned equivalents** for first‑party security workflows

## Actual behavior

* GHAS workflows fail or remain indefinitely queued
* Customers are forced to choose between:
* Enforcing SHA pinning (recommended best practice), or
* Running GitHub’s security tools

There is currently no supported way to do both without introducing a policy exception.

## Impact

* Forces security-conscious customers to weaken their supply-chain controls
* Creates audit and compliance issues (especially for regulated environments)
* Undermines the guidance GitHub itself provides around SHA-pinning
* Affects multiple first‑party security features (dynamic analysis, Copilot code review)

This is not limited to a single action or language ecosystem.

## Reproduction (high level)

1. Enable GHAS dynamic analysis and/or Copilot code review
2. Enable **Require actions to be pinned to a full-length commit SHA**
3. Restrict allowed actions to an allow-list
4. Trigger a PR or default branch run
5. Observe GHAS-managed workflows failing or stuck in `queued`

## Additional context

* Customers cannot edit or fork GHAS-managed workflows
* These are first‑party GitHub security tools
* The workaround today is to relax Actions policies, which contradicts GitHub security guidance

Happy to provide additional diagnostics if needed.

Guía de contribución

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Línea de trabajo

Start with the GHAS dynamic analysis and Copilot code review workflows described in the reproduction steps, then verify their behavior with full-length SHA pinning and an allow-list policy enabled. Done means the GitHub-managed workflows run successfully without weakening those policies or requiring customers to edit the workflows.

Escrito por el modelo de indexación a partir del texto del issue.

Evaluación

Stack tecnológico
github-actions
Área
ci-cd, security
Tipo de issue
Error
Dificultad
5/5
Tiempo estimado
Más de una semana
Estado de actividad
Tranquilo
Claridad
Necesita aclaración
Aptitud para principiantes
25/100

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