> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://developer.harness.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://developer.harness.io/security-testing-orchestration/3.0/use-sto/sto-scanner-configuration/github-advanced-security.md).

# GitHub Advanced Security step configuration

Scan code repositories with GitHub Advanced Security (GHAS).

The GitHub Advanced Security (GHAS) step in Harness STO enables you to scan your code repositories from the following GHAS products:

* [**CodeQL**](#codeql) **(SAST):** Identify code vulnerabilities. Supported in [**Orchestration**](#scan-mode), [**Extraction**](#scan-mode), and [**Ingestion**](#scan-mode).
* [**Dependabot**](#dependabot) **(SCA):** Detect vulnerable open-source dependencies. Supported in [**Orchestration**](#scan-mode), [**Extraction**](#scan-mode), and [**Ingestion**](#scan-mode).
* [**Secret Scanning**](#secret-scanning)**:** Detect exposed secrets such as API keys and tokens. Supported in [**Extraction**](#scan-mode) and [**Ingestion**](#scan-mode).

{% hint style="info" %}

* To run scans as a non-root user, you can use custom STO scan images and pipelines. See [Configure your pipeline to use STO images from private registry](/security-testing-orchestration/3.0/troubleshooting-and-resources/sto-use-cases/set-up-sto-pipelines/configure-pipeline-to-use-sto-images-from-private-registry.md).
* STO supports multiple workflows for loading self-signed certificates. See [Run STO scans with custom SSL certificates](/security-testing-orchestration/3.0/troubleshooting-and-resources/sto-use-cases/secure-sto-pipelines/ssl-setup-in-sto.md#supported-workflows-for-adding-custom-ssl-certificates).
  {% endhint %}

### GitHub Advanced Security step settings <a href="#github-advanced-security-step-settings" id="github-advanced-security-step-settings"></a>

The recommended workflow is to add a GitHub Advanced Security step to a **Security** or **Build** stage and configure it as described below.

#### Scan <a href="#scan" id="scan"></a>

**Scan Mode**

* **Orchestration**: Executes the scan, normalizes, and deduplicates results. Supported for **CodeQL** and **Dependabot**.

  <div data-gb-custom-block data-tag="hint" data-style="info" class="hint hint-info"><ul><li>To comply with <a href="https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/learning-about-github/about-github-advanced-security#about-github-advanced-security-products">GitHub's licensing requirements</a>, orchestration scans are uploaded to GitHub and then imported into STO.</li><li><strong>Orchestration</strong> mode currently supports <em>Python (pip)</em> and <em>JavaScript/TypeScript (npm or yarn)</em>. <strong>Extraction</strong> mode supports all languages available in GHAS.</li></ul></div>
* **Extraction**: Pulls existing results from GitHub APIs (**CodeQL**, **Dependabot**, **Secret Scanning**).
* **Ingestion**: Ingests SARIF files from previously run GHAS scans.

**Scan Configuration**

The GitHub Advanced Security step supports the following configurations:

* [**CodeQL**](#codeql)
* [**Dependabot**](#dependabot)
* [**Secret Scanning**](#secret-scanning)

#### CodeQL <a href="#codeql" id="codeql"></a>

You can use **CodeQL** to perform Static Application Security Testing (SAST). For details about CodeQL itself, see the [CodeQL documentation](https://docs.github.com/en/code-security/code-scanning/introduction-to-code-scanning/about-code-scanning-with-codeql).

Here are a few important points to note when using CodeQL with **Orchestration mode**:

* The repository must be configured with **Advanced setup** for **CodeQL analysis**. To do this, go to your repository settings, click on **Advanced Security**, then go to **Code scanning** section and select **Advanced setup** for **CodeQL analysis**. If you're using default setup, you must switch to Advanced setup before running scans with Orchestration scan mode.

For **Extraction mode**, CodeQL works with both **Default** and **Advanced setup**.

{% hint style="info" %}
The **CodeQL** scan configuration using the [**Orchestration**](#scan-mode) scan mode requires a minimum of `2Gi` of RAM. You can set this in the [**Additional Configuration**](#additional-configuration) section of your step.
{% endhint %}

***

#### Dependabot <a href="#dependabot" id="dependabot"></a>

You can use **Dependabot** for dependency (SCA) scans. For more information, see the [Dependabot documentation](https://docs.github.com/en/code-security/dependabot/dependabot-alerts/about-dependabot-alerts).

Prerequisites for Dependabot scans:

* **Dependabot alerts** must be enabled. To check this, go to your repository settings, select **Advanced Security**, then click on **Enable** for **Dependabot alerts**.
* **Dependabot** with **Orchestration mode** requires a **Docker-in-Docker (DinD)** background step. When you configure this step, set the **Entrypoint** to `dockerd-entrypoint.sh` instead of `dockerd`. For setup instructions, go to [Configure Docker-in-Docker (DinD) for your pipeline](/security-testing-orchestration/3.0/use-sto/sto-scanner-configuration/security-step-settings-reference.md#configuring-docker-in-docker-dind-for-your-pipeline).

***

#### Secret Scanning <a href="#secret-scanning" id="secret-scanning"></a>

You can use **Secret Scanning** to detect exposed secrets such as API keys, tokens, or other sensitive values in your repositories. For more details about this feature, see the [Secret Scanning documentation](https://docs.github.com/en/code-security/securing-your-organization/understanding-your-organizations-exposure-to-leaked-secrets/choosing-github-secret-protection).

Prerequisites for Secret Scanning:

* **Secret protection** must be enabled. To enable this, go to your repository settings, click on **Advanced Security**, then click on **Enable** for **Secret Protection**.

#### Target <a href="#target" id="target"></a>

**Type**

**Target and variant detection**

**Name**

**Variant**

**Workspace**

#### Ingestion File <a href="#ingestion-file" id="ingestion-file"></a>

#### Authentication <a href="#authentication" id="authentication"></a>

**Access Token**

Use a GitHub fine-grained **Personal Access Token (PAT)** with the following repository permissions:

| **Scan Mode**                                        | **Permission**         | **Level**    |
| ---------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------- | ------------ |
| **Orchestration** (CodeQL, Dependabot)               | Code scanning alerts   | Read & Write |
|                                                      | Dependabot alerts      | Read & Write |
|                                                      | Secret scanning alerts | Read & Write |
| **Extraction** (CodeQL, Dependabot, Secret Scanning) | Code scanning alerts   | Read-only    |
|                                                      | Dependabot alerts      | Read-only    |
|                                                      | Secret scanning alerts | Read-only    |

Make sure **Repository access** is set to *All repositories* or *Only selected repositories*.

#### Log Level <a href="#log-level" id="log-level"></a>

#### Fail on Severity <a href="#fail-on-severity" id="fail-on-severity"></a>

#### Additional Configuration <a href="#additional-configuration" id="additional-configuration"></a>

#### Advanced Settings <a href="#advanced-settings" id="advanced-settings"></a>

### Proxy settings <a href="#proxy-settings" id="proxy-settings"></a>

{% @harness-feedback/feedback %}