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GitHub Actions Unusual Bot Push to Repository

Detects when the github-actions[bot] pushes code to a repository where it has not performed this behavior before in a certain time window. This may indicate a supply chain attack where malicious code running in a CI…

Description

Detects when the github-actions[bot] pushes code to a repository where it has not performed this behavior before in a certain time window. This may indicate a supply chain attack where malicious code running in a CI workflow attempts to modify repository contents, such as injecting backdoor workflow files.

Detection logic

Its licence does not clear it for publishing here

Sunturai publishes a detection's own text where the licence it arrived under has been reviewed and permits it, and Elastic License 2.0 has not. The query as its source wrote it, its canonical form and the hash that pins this revision are in the workspace record.

Detection requirements

Platform
ContainersESXiIaaSIdentity ProviderLinuxmacOSNetwork DevicesOffice SuiteSaaSWindows

The rule states no platform. This is derived from the 3 ATT&CK techniques it maps to.

Log source category
event_index

Known benign triggers

  • Legitimate CI/CD automation that commits and pushes changes (e.g., auto-formatting, changelog updates, version bumps, Dependabot auto-merge) will trigger this alert on first use in a repository. Review the repository's workflow configurations to determine if bot pushes are expected.

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