Unsecured commands

Docs > Datadog Security > Code Security > Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Security > IaC Security Rules > Unsecured commands

Metadata

Id: cicd-github-unsecured-commands

Provider: GitHub

Platform: CICD

Severity: Medium

Category: Insecure Configurations

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Provider Reference

Description

Enabling the deprecated set-env and add-path commands by setting ACTIONS_ALLOW_UNSECURE_COMMANDS=true allows workflows or steps to modify the runner environment and PATH, which can be abused to run unintended or attacker-controlled commands and lead to arbitrary code execution. Check GitHub Actions workflow documents for the ACTIONS_ALLOW_UNSECURE_COMMANDS environment variable at the workflow top-level, per-job, and per-step scopes; the variable must be absent or set to false. Any occurrence of ACTIONS_ALLOW_UNSECURE_COMMANDS=true at workflow, job, or step level will be flagged; remediate by removing the variable or explicitly setting it to false.

Secure example (do not enable insecure commands):

env:
  # No ACTIONS_ALLOW_UNSECURE_COMMANDS set here

jobs:
  build:
    env:
      ACTIONS_ALLOW_UNSECURE_COMMANDS: "false"
    steps:
      - name: Checkout
        uses: actions/checkout@v3

Compliant Code Examples

name: test-positive
on:
  pull_request:
    types: [opened, synchronize, edited, reopened]
    branches: 
      - master
jobs:
  test-positive:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - name: PR comment
      uses: thollander/actions-comment-pull-request@b07c7f86be67002023e6cb13f57df3f21cdd3411
      with:
        comment_tag: title_check
        mode: recreate
        create_if_not_exists: true

Non-Compliant Code Examples

name: Vulnerable workflow

on:
  pull_request_target

env:
  # 1. Enable unsecure commands
  ACTIONS_ALLOW_UNSECURE_COMMANDS: true
  ENVIRONMENT_NAME: prod

jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      # 2. Print github context
      - run: |
          print("""${{ toJSON(github) }}""")
        shell: python
      - name: Create new PR deployment
        uses: actions/github-script@v5
        with:
          # 3. Create deployment
          script: |
            return await github.rest.repos.createDeployment({
                ...context.repo,
                ref: context.payload.pull_request.head.sha,
                auto_merge: false,
                required_contexts: [],
                environment: "${{ env.ENVIRONMENT_NAME }}",
                transient_environment: false,
                production_environment: false,
            });
          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

name: Vulnerable workflow

on:
  pull_request_target


jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    env:
      ACTIONS_ALLOW_UNSECURE_COMMANDS: true
    steps:
      # 2. Print github context
      - run: |
          print("""${{ toJSON(github) }}""")
        shell: python
      - name: Create new PR deployment
        uses: actions/github-script@v5
        with:
          # 3. Create deployment
          script: |
            return await github.rest.repos.createDeployment({
                ...context.repo,
                ref: context.payload.pull_request.head.sha,
                auto_merge: false,
                required_contexts: [],
                environment: "${{ env.ENVIRONMENT_NAME }}",
                transient_environment: false,
                production_environment: false,
            });
          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

name: Vulnerable workflow

on:
  pull_request_target

jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      # 2. Print github context
      - run: |
          print("""${{ toJSON(github) }}""")
        shell: python
      - name: Create new PR deployment
        env:
          ACTIONS_ALLOW_UNSECURE_COMMANDS: true
        uses: actions/github-script@v5
        with:
          # 3. Create deployment
          script: |
            return await github.rest.repos.createDeployment({
                ...context.repo,
                ref: context.payload.pull_request.head.sha,
                auto_merge: false,
                required_contexts: [],
                environment: "${{ env.ENVIRONMENT_NAME }}",
                transient_environment: false,
                production_environment: false,
            });
          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}