GitHub Actions is GitHub’s built-in automation platform for continuous integration and continuous delivery. It runs workflows defined in repository files, letting teams build, test, package, and deploy code when events such as pushes, pull requests, or scheduled jobs occur. Each workflow runs one or more jobs on hosted or self-managed runners.
In cyber security, GitHub Actions matters because workflow jobs often need access to source code, signing keys, cloud credentials, or deployment tokens. If a malicious dependency, poisoned package, or untrusted pull request can execute inside a workflow, it may steal secrets or alter release artifacts. Defenders reduce this risk with least-privilege permissions, secret scoping, protected environments, pinned actions, and short-lived credentials.