Ensure branch protection is enforced on the default branch

MediumLevel 1Automatedgithub

Description

Enforce branch protection on the default and main branch. The default or main branch of repositories is considered very important, as it is eventually gets deployed to the production. Therefore it needs protection. The default branch must have classic branch protection or at least one active ruleset rule. Uses the GitHub REST/GraphQL API through gh api (read-only). The repository comes from GH_REPO or the current git checkout (gh's {owner}/{repo} resolution, GH_HOST for GitHub Enterprise Server); the organization comes from GH_ORG (default: the repository owner). Fails when gh is missing or unauthenticated (gh auth login or GH_TOKEN); organization settings and branch protection need an owner/admin token.

How it is checked

Audit method: Shell command

shell

command -v gh >/dev/null 2>&1 || exit 1
gh auth status >/dev/null 2>&1 || exit 1
info=$(gh api 'repos/{owner}/{repo}' --jq '.full_name + " " + .default_branch' 2>/dev/null) || exit 1
R=${info% *}; B=${info#* }
[ -n "$R" ] && [ -n "$B" ] || exit 1
gh api "repos/$R/branches/$B/protection" --silent >/dev/null 2>&1 && { echo compliant; exit 0; }
n=$(gh api "repos/$R/rules/branches/$B" --jq 'length' 2>/dev/null) || n=0
[ "${n:-0}" -gt 0 ] && echo compliant

Expected output: compliant

How it is fixed

Fix method: Guidance or infrastructure patch

Settings > Branches (or Rules > Rulesets) for the default branch: create a branch protection rule or ruleset targeting the default branch.

Properties

Operating systems: Any
Tags: githubsource-code
Reference: CIS GitHub Benchmark v1.2.0 - 1.1.20 Ensure branch protection is enforced on the default branch

Check this host

Run this on a machine you are allowed to audit. The scan is read-only.

shell

tmaegis scan --target github