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Copilot AI commented Nov 20, 2025

Two workflow files lacked explicit permission definitions, relying on default token permissions.

Changes

  • .github/workflows/nodejs.yml: Added permissions: contents: read to build job
  • .github/workflows/publish.yml: Added permissions: contents: read to publish-npm job

Both workflows only require read access to checkout code and run build/test commands. The publish workflow uses npm_token secret for npm registry authentication, requiring no additional GitHub permissions.

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
    permissions:
      contents: read
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
      # ...

Warning

Firewall rules blocked me from connecting to one or more addresses (expand for details)

I tried to connect to the following addresses, but was blocked by firewall rules:

  • www.googleapis.com
    • Triggering command: node install.js (dns block)

If you need me to access, download, or install something from one of these locations, you can either:

Original prompt

This section details on the original issue you should resolve

<issue_title>Please define actions workflow permissions</issue_title>
<issue_description>## Workflow permissions improvement

There are 2 workflow files that are currently lacking explicit permissions

Affected Workflow Files

The following workflow files need permissions to be explicitly defined:

Request

Ensure permissions are explicitly defined. Below are Copilot prompts/instructions if you would like Copilot's assistance with addressing this.

GitHub Copilot Assignment Prompts and Context

Task: Add explicit permissions to GitHub Actions workflow files that are currently missing them.

Scope: Update the workflow files listed above to include appropriate permissions: blocks.

Analysis Methodology:

  1. Gather Current State: Check if the workflow has any existing permissions defined
  2. Inventory Workflow Actions:
    • Actions performed directly by the workflow
    • API calls made by the workflow
    • External actions included via uses: statements
  3. Determine Required Permissions: Map each action to its minimum required permissions
  4. Synthesize Minimal Permissions: Create permissions block with only necessary permissions

Requirements:

  1. Add a permissions: block to each workflow file that doesn't have one
  2. Start with contents: read as the minimum permission
  3. Add additional permissions only if the workflow actually needs them based on the actions it performs
  4. Place the permissions: block at the job level or workflow level as appropriate
  5. Ensure the syntax is correct and follows YAML formatting
  6. Maintain existing content formatting, including indentation and comments

Files to modify: See the list of affected workflow files above.

Acceptance criteria:

  • All listed workflow files have explicit permissions defined
  • Permissions follow the principle of least privilege
  • YAML syntax is valid
  • Workflows still function correctly after changes

Copilot Instructions:

Please create a pull request that adds appropriate permissions: blocks to each of the workflow files listed above. Analyze each workflow to determine the minimum permissions required based on the actions it performs, and add only those necessary permissions.
</issue_description>

Comments on the Issue (you are @copilot in this section)


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Co-authored-by: jonrohan <54012+jonrohan@users.noreply.github.com>
Copilot AI changed the title [WIP] Define explicit permissions for workflow files Add explicit permissions to GitHub Actions workflows Nov 20, 2025
Copilot AI requested a review from jonrohan November 20, 2025 19:40
Copilot finished work on behalf of jonrohan November 20, 2025 19:40
@jonrohan jonrohan marked this pull request as ready for review November 20, 2025 20:57
@jonrohan jonrohan requested a review from a team as a code owner November 20, 2025 20:57
Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings November 20, 2025 20:57
Copilot finished reviewing on behalf of jonrohan November 20, 2025 20:58
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Pull Request Overview

This PR enhances security by adding explicit permission definitions to two GitHub Actions workflows that previously relied on default token permissions. By explicitly defining minimal permissions, the workflows follow the principle of least privilege.

  • Adds permissions: contents: read to the build job in nodejs.yml
  • Adds permissions: contents: read to the publish-npm job in publish.yml

Reviewed Changes

Copilot reviewed 2 out of 2 changed files in this pull request and generated no comments.

File Description
.github/workflows/nodejs.yml Adds explicit contents: read permission to build job for code checkout and testing
.github/workflows/publish.yml Adds explicit contents: read permission to publish-npm job; npm publishing uses separate npm_token secret

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@jonrohan jonrohan enabled auto-merge November 20, 2025 21:02
@jonrohan jonrohan merged commit eb2e1fb into main Nov 25, 2025
10 checks passed
@jonrohan jonrohan deleted the copilot/define-workflow-permissions branch November 25, 2025 21:22
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Please define actions workflow permissions

3 participants