--- layout: docs page_title: Sync secrets from Vault to GitHub description: >- Automatically sync and unsync the secrets from Vault to GitHub to centralize visibility and control of secrets lifecycle management. --- # Sync secrets from Vault to GitHub The GitHub actions sync destination allows Vault to safely synchronize secrets as GitHub organization, repository, or environment secrets. This is a low footprint option that enables your applications to benefit from Vault-managed secrets without requiring them to connect directly with Vault. This guide walks you through the configuration process. Prerequisites: * Ability to read or create KVv2 secrets * Ability to create GitHub fine-grained or personal tokens (or a GitHub application) with access to modify organization and/or repository secrets * Ability to create sync destinations and associations on your Vault server ## Setup 1. To get started with syncing Vault secrets to your GitHub, you will need a configured [GitHub application](#github-application) or an [access token](https://docs.github.com/en/authentication/keeping-your-account-and-data-secure/managing-your-personal-access-tokens) that has write permission on the target sync location in GitHub for "Secrets". The "Secrets" permissions in GitHub automatically includes read-only "Metadata" access. Access tokens are tied to a user account and can be revoked at any time, causing disruptions to the sync process. GitHub applications are long-lived and do not expire. Using a GitHub application for authentication is preferred over using a personal access token. ### Repositories Use `vault write` to configure a repository sync destination with an access token: ```shell-session $ vault write sys/sync/destinations/gh/DESTINATION_NAME \ access_token="GITHUB_ACCESS_TOKEN" \ secrets_location="GITHUB_SECRETS_LOCATION" \ repository_owner="GITHUB_OWNER_NAME" \ repository_name="GITHUB_REPO_NAME" ``` For example: ``` $ vault write sys/sync/destinations/gh/hcrepo-sandbox \ access_token="github_pat_11ABC000000000000000000000DEF" \ secrets_location="repository" \ repository_owner="hashicorp" \ repository_name="hcrepo" Key Value --- ----- connection_details map[access_token:***** secrets_location:repository repository_owner:hashicorp repository_name:hcrepo] name hcrepo-sandbox type gh ``` ### Environments Use `vault write` to configure an environment sync destination: ```shell-session $ vault write sys/sync/destinations/gh/DESTINATION_NAME \ access_token="GITHUB_ACCESS_TOKEN" \ secrets_location="GITHUB_SECRETS_LOCATION" \ repository_owner="GITHUB_OWNER_NAME" \ repository_name="GITHUB_REPO_NAME" \ environment_name="GITHUB_ENVIRONMENT_NAME" ``` For example: ``` $ vault write sys/sync/destinations/gh/hcrepo-sandbox \ access_token="github_pat_11ABC000000000000000000000DEF" \ secrets_location="repository" \ repository_owner="hashicorp" \ repository_name="hcrepo" \ environment_name="sandbox" Key Value --- ----- connection_details map[access_token:***** secrets_location:repository environment_name:sandbox repository_owner:hashicorp repository_name:hcrepo] name hcrepo-sandbox type gh ``` ### Organizations @include 'alerts/beta.mdx' Beta limitations: - You cannot update visibility (`organization_visibility`) after creating a secrets sync destination. - You cannot update the list of repositories with access to synced secrets (`selected_repository_names`) after creating a secrets sync destination. Sync secrets to GitHub organization to share those secrets across repositories in the organizations. You choose to make secrets global to the organization, limited to private/internal repos, or limited to specifically named repositories. Refer to the [Secrets sync API docs](/vault/docs/sync/github#api) for detailed configuration information. Organization secrets are [not visible to private repositories for GitHub Free accounts](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/security-for-github-actions/security-guides/using-secrets-in-github-actions#creating-secrets-for-an-organization). Use `vault write` to configure an organization sync destination: ```shell-session $ vault write sys/sync/destinations/gh/DESTINATION_NAME \ access_token="GITHUB_ACCESS_TOKEN" \ secrets_location="GITHUB_SECRETS_LOCATION" \ organization_name="ORGANIZATION_NAME" \ organization_visibility="ORGANIZATION_VISIBILITY" ``` For example: ``` $ vault write sys/sync/destinations/gh/hcrepo-sandbox \ access_token="github_pat_11ABC000000000000000000000DEF" \ secrets_location="organization" \ organization_name="hashicorp" \ organization_visibility="selected" \ selected_repository_names="hcrepo-1,hcrepo-2" Key Value --- ----- connection_details map[access_token:***** secrets_location:organization organization_name:hashicorp organization_visibility:all selected_repository_names:[hcrepo-1 hcrepo-2]] name hcrepo-sandbox type gh ``` ## Usage 1. If you do not already have a KVv2 secret to sync, mount a new KVv2 secrets engine. ```shell-session $ vault secrets enable -path=my-kv kv-v2 ``` **Output:** ``` Success! Enabled the kv-v2 secrets engine at: my-kv/ ``` 1. Create secrets you wish to sync with a target GitHub repository for Actions. ```shell-session $ vault kv put -mount='my-kv' my-secret key1='val1' key2='val2' ``` **Output:** ```plaintext ==== Secret Path ==== my-kv/data/my-secret ======= Metadata ======= Key Value --- ----- created_time custom_metadata deletion_time n/a destroyed false version 1 ``` 1. Create an association between the destination and a secret to synchronize. ```shell-session $ vault write sys/sync/destinations/gh/my-dest/associations/set \ mount='my-kv' \ secret_name='my-secret' ``` **Output:** ```plaintext Key Value --- ----- associated_secrets map[kv_1234/my-secret:map[accessor:kv_1234 secret_name:my-secret sync_status:SYNCED updated_at:>]] store_name my-dest store_type gh ``` 1. Navigate to your GitHub repository settings to confirm your secret was successfully created. Moving forward, any modification on the Vault secret will be propagated in near-real time to its GitHub secrets counterpart. Creating a new secret version in Vault will create a new version in GitHub. Deleting the secret or the association in Vault will delete the secret in GitHub as well. ## Security Vault syncs secrets differently depending on whether you have configured `secret-key` or `secret-path` [granularity](/vault/docs/sync#granularity): - `secret-key` granularity splits KVv2 secrets from Vault into key-value pairs and stores the pairs as distinct entries in GitHub. For example, `secrets.key1="val1"` and `secrets.key2="val2"`. - `secret-path` granularity stores secrets as a single JSON string that contains all the associated key-value pairs. For example, `{"key1":"val1", "key2":"val2"}`. Since GitHub limits secrets to single-value secrets, the sync granularity defaults to `secret-key`. If using the secret-path granularity, it is strongly advised to mask individual values for each sub-key to prevent the unintended disclosure of secrets in any GitHub Action outputs. The following snippet illustrates how to mask each secret values: ```yaml name: Mask synced secret values on: workflow_dispatch jobs: synced-secret-examples: runs-on: ubuntu-latest steps: - name: ✓ Mask synced secret values run: | for v in $(echo '${{ secrets.VAULT_KV_1234_MY_SECRET }}' | jq -r '.[]'); do echo "::add-mask::$v" done ``` If the GitHub destination uses the default `secret-key` granularity, the values are masked by GitHub automatically. ## GitHub application Instead of authenticating with a personal access token, you can choose to authenticate with a [custom GitHub application](https://docs.github.com/en/apps/creating-github-apps/registering-a-github-app/registering-a-github-app). Start by following the GitHub instructions for [installing a GitHub app](https://docs.github.com/en/apps/using-github-apps/installing-your-own-github-app). to install your GitHub application on a specified repository and note the assigned installation ID. You can find your assigned installation ID in the URL path parameter: `https://github.com/settings/installations/` Then add your GitHub application to your Vault instance. To use your GitHub application with Vault: - The application must have permission to read and write secrets. - You must generate a private key for the application on GitHub. - The application must be installed on the repository you want to sync secrets with. - You must know the application ID assigned by GitHub. - You must know the installation ID assigned by GitHub. Callback, redirect URLs, and webhooks are not required at this time. To configure the application in Vault, use `vault write` with the `sys/sync/github-apps` endpoint to assign a unique name and set the relevant information: ```shell-session $ vault write sys/sync/github-apps/ \ app_id= \ private_key=@/path/to/private/key Key Value --- ----- app_id fingerprint name private_key ***** ``` Vault returns the fingerprint of the private_key provided to ensure that the correct private key was configured and that it was not tampered with along the way. You can compare the fingerprint to the one provided by GitHub. For more information, see [Verifying private keys](https://docs.github.com/en/apps/creating-github-apps/authenticating-with-a-github-app/managing-private-keys-for-github-apps#verifying-private-keys). Next, use `vault write` with the `sys/sync/destinations/gh` endpoint to configure a GitHub destination that references your new GitHub application: ```shell-session $ vault write sys/sync/destinations/gh/ \ installation_id= \ repository_owner= \ repository_name= \ app_name= Key Value --- ----- connection_details map[app_config:map[app_name:] installation_id: repository_name: repository_owner:] name my-dest options map[custom_tags:map[] granularity_level:secret-key secret_name_template:VAULT_{{ .MountAccessor | uppercase }}_{{ .SecretPath | uppercase }}_{{ .SecretKey | uppercase }}] type gh ``` You can now [use your GitHub application to sync secrets with your GitHub repository](#usage). ## API Please see the [secrets sync API](/vault/api-docs/system/secrets-sync) for more details.