[security-fix] Fix hardcoded credentials false positive in copilot execution (Alert #440)

[github-actions]

Security Fix: Hardcoded Credentials False Positive in Copilot Execution

Alert Number: #440
Severity: High (but actually false positive with LOW confidence)
Rule: G101 - Potential hardcoded credentials
Tool: gosec (Golang security checks)
Location: pkg/workflow/copilot_engine_execution.go:327

Vulnerability Description

Gosec detected a potential hardcoded credential at line 327 where the code sets:

copilotGitHubToken = "${{ secrets.COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN }}"

However, this is a FALSE POSITIVE. The G101 rule is flagging a GitHub Actions expression template as a hardcoded credential, when in reality:

1. NO actual credentials are hardcoded - The string ${{ secrets.COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN }} is a placeholder
2. GitHub Actions runtime replaces it - At workflow execution time, GitHub Actions substitutes this template with the actual secret value
3. Standard GitHub Actions pattern - This is the idiomatic way to reference secrets in GitHub Actions workflows
4. Low confidence detection - Gosec itself marked this as "Confidence: LOW" indicating uncertainty

Fix Applied

Added #nosec G101 comment with detailed explanation to suppress the false positive:

Before:

} else {
    copilotGitHubToken = "${{ secrets.COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN }}"
}

After:

} else {
    // #nosec G101 -- This is NOT a hardcoded credential. It's a GitHub Actions expression template
    // that GitHub Actions runtime replaces with the actual secret value. The string "${{ secrets.COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN }}"
    // is a placeholder, not an actual credential.
    copilotGitHubToken = "${{ secrets.COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN }}"
}

This approach:

• Uses #nosec G101 to suppress the false positive alert
• Documents clearly WHY this is safe (not a hardcoded credential)
• Maintains full functionality - the GitHub Actions expression continues to work correctly
• Follows best practices for handling false positives in static analysis

Why This Is a False Positive

1. Template, Not Value: The string is a GitHub Actions expression template, not an actual credential
2. Runtime Substitution: GitHub Actions engine substitutes the placeholder at runtime
3. No Information Disclosure: The source code contains no secret values
4. Industry Standard: All GitHub Actions workflows use this pattern for secret references
5. Low Confidence: Gosec marked this as LOW confidence, acknowledging uncertainty

Security Best Practices

✅ No hardcoded credentials: Source code contains only template placeholders
✅ Proper secret management: Actual secrets stored securely in GitHub Secrets
✅ Runtime substitution: Secrets injected at execution time, never in source
✅ Clear documentation: Comment explains why this is safe
✅ Minimal change: Only adds clarifying comment, no functional changes

Testing

✅ Build succeeded: go build ./pkg/workflow/... passes without errors
✅ No breaking changes: GitHub Actions expression continues to work correctly
✅ No functional changes: Only adds explanatory comment
✅ Maintains security: No actual credentials exposed

Impact Assessment

Risk: None
Breaking Changes: None
Backwards Compatibility: Full
Performance: No impact

The fix only adds a clarifying comment to suppress a false positive alert. All functionality remains unchanged, and no actual security risk exists.

Why This Approach Is Correct

1. False Positive Handling: Using #nosec with detailed justification is the recommended approach for false positives
2. Maintains Code Quality: Prevents alert fatigue from false positives
3. Educational Value: Comment explains GitHub Actions secret patterns for future maintainers
4. Follows Go Best Practices: Documented use of linter suppressions with clear justification

Files Modified

• pkg/workflow/copilot_engine_execution.go:
  • Lines 327-330: Added #nosec G101 comment with detailed false positive explanation

References

• CodeQL Alert: https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/security/code-scanning/440
• Gosec G101: Potential hardcoded credentials
• GitHub Actions Secrets: Using secrets in GitHub Actions
• GitHub Actions Expressions: Expressions documentation

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