Introduction
This guide shows you how to configure security features for a repository. You must be a repository administrator or organization owner to configure security settings for a repository.
Your security needs are unique to your repository, so you may not need to enable every feature for your repository. For more information, see "GitHub security features."
Some features are available for all repositories. Additional features are available to enterprises that use GitHub Advanced Security. For more information, see "About GitHub Advanced Security."
Managing access to your repository
The first step to securing a repository is to set up who can see and modify your code. For more information, see "Managing repository settings."
From the main page of your repository, click Settings, then scroll down to the "Danger Zone."
- To change who can view your repository, click Change visibility. For more information, see "Setting repository visibility."
Managing the dependency graph
The dependency graph and Dependabot alerts are configured at an enterprise level by the enterprise owner. For more information, see "Enabling the dependency graph for your enterprise" and "Enabling Dependabot for your enterprise."
For more information, see "Exploring the dependencies of a repository."
Managing Dependabot alerts
Dependabot alerts are generated when GitHub identifies a dependency in the dependency graph with a vulnerability.
The dependency graph and Dependabot alerts are configured at an enterprise level by the enterprise owner. For more information, see "Enabling the dependency graph for your enterprise" and "Enabling Dependabot for your enterprise."
For more information, see "About alerts for vulnerable dependencies."
Configuring code scanning
You can set up code scanning to automatically identify vulnerabilities and errors in the code stored in your repository by using a CodeQL analysis workflow or third-party tool. For more information, see "Setting up code scanning for a repository."
Code scanning is available for organization-owned repositories if your enterprise uses GitHub Advanced Security.
Configuring secret scanning
Secret scanning is available for organization-owned repositories if your enterprise uses GitHub Advanced Security. Secret scanning may already be enabled for your repository, depending upon your organization's settings.
- From the main page of your repository, click Settings.
- Click Security & analysis.
- If GitHub Advanced Security is not already enabled, click Enable.
- Next to Secret scanning, click Enable.
Next steps
You can view and manage alerts from security features to address dependencies and vulnerabilities in your code. For more information, see "Viewing and updating vulnerable dependencies in your repository," "Managing code scanning for your repository," and "Managing alerts from secret scanning."