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Find dangerous GITHUB_ENV usage

org.openrewrite.github.security.GitHubEnvRecipe

Detects dangerous usage of GITHUB_ENV and GITHUB_PATH environment files in workflows with risky triggers like pull_request_target or workflow_run. Writing to these files can allow code injection when the content includes user-controlled data. Based on zizmor's github-env audit.

Recipe source​

GitHub: GitHubEnv.java, Issue Tracker, Maven Central

This recipe is available under the Moderne Source Available License.

Used by​

This recipe is used as part of the following composite recipes:

Example​

Before​
.github/workflows/test.yml
on: pull_request_target
jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - name: Set environment
        run: |
          echo "BRANCH_NAME=${{ github.head_ref }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
          echo "Building branch: $BRANCH_NAME"
After​
.github/workflows/test.yml
on: pull_request_target
jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - name: Set environment
        ~~(Write to GITHUB_ENV may allow code execution in a workflow with dangerous triggers. This can lead to code injection when the written content includes user-controlled data. Ensure any dynamic content is properly sanitized or avoid writing to environment files in workflows triggered by untrusted events.)~~>run: |
          echo "BRANCH_NAME=${{ github.head_ref }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
          echo "Building branch: $BRANCH_NAME"

Usage​

This recipe has no required configuration options. Users of Moderne can run it via the Moderne CLI.

You will need to have configured the Moderne CLI on your machine before you can run the following command.

shell
mod run . --recipe GitHubEnvRecipe

If the recipe is not available locally, then you can install it using:

mod config recipes jar install org.openrewrite.recipe:rewrite-github-actions:3.18.2

See how this recipe works across multiple open-source repositories​

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Please contact Moderne for more information about safely running the recipes on your own codebase in a private SaaS.

Data Tables​

Source files that had results​

org.openrewrite.table.SourcesFileResults

Source files that were modified by the recipe run.

Column NameDescription
Source path before the runThe source path of the file before the run. null when a source file was created during the run.
Source path after the runA recipe may modify the source path. This is the path after the run. null when a source file was deleted during the run.
Parent of the recipe that made changesIn a hierarchical recipe, the parent of the recipe that made a change. Empty if this is the root of a hierarchy or if the recipe is not hierarchical at all.
Recipe that made changesThe specific recipe that made a change.
Estimated time savingAn estimated effort that a developer to fix manually instead of using this recipe, in unit of seconds.
CycleThe recipe cycle in which the change was made.