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pelikhan merged 3 commits into from
Nov 4, 2025
Merged

Document security scanning tools in agentic workflow instructions #3102

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Initial plan
Copilot Nov 4, 2025
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Add comprehensive security scanning documentation to instructions
Copilot Nov 4, 2025
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Make security scanning documentation much more concise
Copilot Nov 4, 2025
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25 changes: 23 additions & 2 deletions .github/instructions/github-agentic-workflows.instructions.md
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25 changes: 23 additions & 2 deletions pkg/cli/templates/github-agentic-workflows.instructions.md
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Expand Up @@ -1037,6 +1037,26 @@ permissions:
models: read # Typically needed for AI workflows
```

### Security Scanning Tools

GitHub Agentic Workflows supports security scanning during compilation with `--actionlint`, `--zizmor`, and `--poutine` flags.

**actionlint** - Lints GitHub Actions workflows and validates shell scripts with integrated shellcheck
**zizmor** - Scans for security vulnerabilities, privilege escalation, and secret exposure
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Remove trailing whitespace at the end of line 1045.

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**zizmor** - Scans for security vulnerabilities, privilege escalation, and secret exposure
**zizmor** - Scans for security vulnerabilities, privilege escalation, and secret exposure

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**poutine** - Analyzes supply chain risks and third-party action usage

```bash
# Run individual scanners
gh aw compile --actionlint # Includes shellcheck
gh aw compile --zizmor # Security vulnerabilities
gh aw compile --poutine # Supply chain risks

# Run all scanners with strict mode (fail on findings)
gh aw compile --strict --actionlint --zizmor --poutine
```

**Exit codes**: actionlint (0=clean, 1=errors), zizmor (0=clean, 10-14=findings), poutine (0=clean, 1=findings). In strict mode, non-zero exits fail compilation.

## Debugging and Inspection

### MCP Server Inspection
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1097,9 +1117,10 @@ Agentic workflows compile to GitHub Actions YAML:
- Example: `gh aw compile issue-triage` compiles `issue-triage.md`
- Supports partial matching and fuzzy search for workflow names
- **`gh aw compile --purge`** - Remove orphaned `.lock.yml` files that no longer have corresponding `.md` files
- **`gh aw compile --actionlint`** - Run actionlint linter on compiled workflows (includes shellcheck)
- **`gh aw compile --zizmor`** - Run zizmor security scanner on compiled workflows
- **`gh aw compile --poutine`** - Run poutine security scanner on compiled workflows
- **`gh aw compile --strict --zizmor`** - Strict mode with security scanning (fails on findings)
- **`gh aw compile --strict --actionlint --zizmor --poutine`** - Strict mode with all security scanners (fails on findings)

## Best Practices

Expand All @@ -1117,7 +1138,7 @@ Agentic workflows compile to GitHub Actions YAML:
10. **Monitor costs with `gh aw logs`** to track AI model usage and expenses
11. **Use `--engine` filter** in logs command to analyze specific AI engine performance
12. **Prefer sanitized context text** - Use `${{ needs.activation.outputs.text }}` instead of raw `github.event` fields for security
13. **Run security scanners** - Use `--zizmor` or `--poutine` flags to scan compiled workflows for security issues
13. **Run security scanners** - Use `--actionlint`, `--zizmor`, and `--poutine` flags to scan compiled workflows for security issues, code quality, and supply chain risks

## Validation

Expand Down
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