run_secret_scanning
Scan files, content, or recent changes for secrets such as API keys, passwords, tokens, and credentials. This tool is intended for targeted scans of specific files, snippets, or diffs provided directly as content. It accepts file contents or diffs and returns detected secrets with their locations...
This record as markdown: /tools/github/run-secret-scanning.md
What run_secret_scanning does on GitHub
AI agents call run_secret_scanning to retrieve information from GitHub without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
repo | string | — | Repository name |
files | array | — | Array of file contents, snippets, or diff hunks to scan for secrets. These must be raw contents, not repository file paths. |
owner | string | — | Repository owner |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why run_secret_scanning is rated Low
This tool reads and analyzes provided content to detect secrets — it does not modify, delete, or execute anything. However, it handles sensitive data (API keys, passwords, tokens) meaning misuse could expose secrets to an attacker or unintended party, warranting medium severity.
From the tool's definition Scan files, content, or recent changes for secrets such as API keys, passwords, tokens, and credentials... accepts file contents or diffs and returns detected secrets with their locations
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs run_secret_scanning safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and GitHub, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For run_secret_scanning, this is the rule to start with:
run_secret_scanning is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect GitHub, apply this rule, and every run_secret_scanning call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about run_secret_scanning
Scan files, content, or recent changes for secrets such as API keys, passwords, tokens, and credentials. This tool is intended for targeted scans of specific files, snippets, or diffs provided directly as content. It accepts file contents or diffs and returns detected secrets with their locations and related secret scanning metadata. Content must not be empty. For full repository scanning, other mechanisms are available. Caveats: - Only files within the codebase should be scanned. Files outside of the codebase should not be sent. - Files listed in .gitignore should be skipped. It is categorised as a Read tool in the GitHub MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
run_secret_scanning accepts 3 parameters: repo, files, owner. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the GitHub MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for run_secret_scanning: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches GitHub. Nothing to install.
run_secret_scanning is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the run_secret_scanning rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for run_secret_scanning. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
run_secret_scanning is provided by the GitHub MCP server (oci:ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:1.3.0). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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