Configure Secret Scan

Configure Secret Scan

Add secret detection scanning steps to existing Harness pipelines using Harness STO. Scans code repositories for exposed credentials, API keys, tokens, and other sensitive information.

Instructions

Step 1: Establish Scope and Pipeline Context

Ask the user for the organization, project, and pipeline identifier if not already known. This skill only works with existing pipelines.

Call MCP tool: harness_get
Parameters:
  resource_type: "pipeline"
  resource_id: "<pipeline_identifier>"
  org_id: "<organization>"
  project_id: "<project>"

Step 2: Extract Repository Connector from Pipeline

Parse the pipeline YAML to automatically identify the repository connector.

• For v0 pipelines: Check pipeline.properties.ci.codebase.connectorRef
• For v1 pipelines: Check the codebase connector in the pipeline configuration

If no connector is found, inform the user the pipeline has no codebase configuration and cannot proceed with secret scanning.

Step 3: Analyze Pipeline Structure

Parse the pipeline YAML to identify all stages, steps, and any existing secret scanning steps.

Present the structure to the user:

Pipeline: <name>

Stage 1: <stage_name> (type: <stage_type>)
  - Step 1: <step_name> (type: <step_type>)
  ...

Ask where to insert the secret scan step — before or after which step, or at the end of which stage. Recommend adding it early in the CI stage, before build steps, so secrets are caught before any artifacts are produced.

Step 4: Recommend Scanner Type

Present the available secret detection scanners supported in Harness STO:

Top recommendation:

• Harness Code (default — native Harness scanner, zero config, integrated SAST + SCA + secret detection in a single step)

Dedicated standalone secret scanner:

• Gitleaks (recommended if user wants a dedicated secret-only scanner — open-source, no paid license, built-in scanner available)

Other scanners that also detect secrets as a side effect (findings appear under the "Secret" issue type alongside SAST/SCA results):

• Aqua Trivy (open-source)
• Checkmarx (commercial)
• Checkmarx One (commercial)
• Fossa (commercial)
• Semgrep (open-source core / commercial)
• Snyk (commercial)
• SonarQube (commercial)
• Wiz (commercial)

Default recommendation: Use Harness Code — the native Harness scanner that provides unified SAST, SCA, and secret detection with zero configuration and seamless STO integration. If the user explicitly wants a dedicated secret-only scanner, recommend Gitleaks as the standalone option.

Ask the user which scanner they prefer. If they don't specify, use Harness Code as the default.

Scanner product auth requirements:

If the user picks a commercial scanner:

1. Inform the user that scanner product credentials are required
2. Ask for the secret references from the table above — secrets must already exist in Harness
3. Format as <+secrets.getValue("project.<secret_identifier>")>
4. If secrets don't exist, prompt the user to create them via /create-secret first

Step 5: Generate Scanner Step Configuration

For Harness Code (default — unified SAST + SCA + secret detection):

- step:
    type: HarnessSAST
    name: Harness_Code_Scan
    identifier: Harness_Code_Scan
    spec:
      mode: orchestration
      config: sast_sca
      target:
        type: repository
        detection: auto
      advanced:
        log:
          level: info

For Gitleaks (standalone secret scanner — Built-in):

- step:
    type: Gitleaks
    name: Gitleaks_Secret_Scan
    identifier: Gitleaks_Secret_Scan
    spec:
      mode: orchestration
      config: default
      target:
        type: repository
        detection: auto
      advanced:
        log:
          level: info

For Semgrep (OSS, no auth):

- step:
    type: Semgrep
    name: Semgrep_Secret_Scan
    identifier: Semgrep_Secret_Scan
    spec:
      mode: orchestration
      config: default
      target:
        type: repository
        detection: auto
      advanced:
        log:
          level: info

For commercial scanners — add auth block with scanner product credentials:

- step:
    type: Snyk                        # or SonarQube, Checkmarx, CheckmarxOne, Fossa, Wiz
    name: Snyk_Secret_Scan
    identifier: Snyk_Secret_Scan
    spec:
      mode: orchestration
      config: default
      target:
        type: repository
        detection: auto
      auth:
        access_id: <+secrets.getValue("project.scanner_access_id")>   # omit if not required
        access_token: <+secrets.getValue("project.scanner_token")>
      advanced:
        log:
          level: info

Use the auth field names from the scanner table in Step 4. Only include access_id for scanners that require it.

Step 6: Insert Step into Pipeline YAML

Insert the generated step at the location chosen in Step 3. Ensure proper indentation and structure.

Key rules:

• Secret scan steps must be in CI stages (type: CI) with cloneCodebase: true — source code must be available
• Place secret scanning early — before build steps, so secrets are caught before artifacts are produced
• Do not add to Deployment or Approval stages
• Add to spec.execution.steps of the chosen stage

Step 7: Update Pipeline via MCP

Call MCP tool: harness_update
Parameters:
  resource_type: "pipeline"
  resource_id: "<pipeline_identifier>"
  org_id: "<organization>"
  project_id: "<project>"
  body: { yamlPipeline: "<updated pipeline YAML string>" }

Step 8: Provide Summary and Next Steps

## Secret Scanner Configured

**Pipeline:** <pipeline_name>
**Scanner:** <scanner_name> (<scanner_type>)
**Location:** Stage "<stage_name>", <position description>
**Connector:** <connector_name>

**Pipeline URL:** https://app.harness.io/ng/account/<account_id>/module/sto/orgs/<org_id>/projects/<project_id>/pipelines/<pipeline_id>/pipeline-studio/

**Note:** Secret detection findings appear under the "Secret" issue type in the Security Tests tab.

### Next Steps
1. Run the pipeline to verify the scanner step executes successfully
2. View secret detection results in the Security Tests tab under the "Secret" issue type
3. Remediate found secrets — rotate any exposed credentials immediately
4. Configure exemptions for false positives via `/security-report` skill
5. Enforce pipeline gates on detected secrets via `/create-policy` skill

Examples

Add Gitleaks to existing CI pipeline

/configure-secret-scan
Add secret scanning to my backend-api pipeline in the platform project

Use Semgrep for secret detection

/configure-secret-scan
I already use Semgrep for SAST — configure it to also detect secrets in my CI pipeline

Add secret scan early in pipeline

/configure-secret-scan
Add Gitleaks before the build step in my payment-service pipeline so we catch leaked keys before building

Performance Notes

• Only works with existing pipelines — do not offer to create new pipelines
• Automatically extract the repo connector from the pipeline; do not ask the user for it
• Place the secret scan step before build steps — catching secrets early prevents them from being baked into artifacts
• Default to Harness Code unless the user explicitly wants a dedicated secret-only scanner — in which case recommend Gitleaks as the standalone option
• For commercial scanners, always ask for auth credentials before generating YAML — missing auth causes runtime failures
• If required secrets don't exist, prompt the user to create them via /create-secret before proceeding
• cloneCodebase: true is required on the CI stage — secret scanners need access to source code

Troubleshooting

Pipeline Not Found

• Verify org_id and project_id are correct
• Confirm the pipeline exists with harness_list (resource_type: "pipeline")
• This skill only works with existing pipelines

Connector Not Found in Pipeline

• Verify the pipeline has a codebase configuration with a connector reference
• Check pipeline.properties.ci.codebase.connectorRef for v0 pipelines
• The pipeline must have a Git connector configured to enable secret scanning

Scanner Step Fails

• Verify cloneCodebase: true is set on the CI stage — secret scanners need source code access
• Check that the Git connector has proper authentication configured
• Review execution logs via harness_diagnose for specific scanner errors

Scanner Authentication Failure (commercial scanners)

• Verify auth.access_token (and auth.access_id where required) reference valid Harness secrets
• Confirm secret identifiers match exactly — check with harness_get(resource_type="secret")
• For Snyk and Semgrep: only access_token is needed
• For SonarQube, Checkmarx One, Wiz, Fossa: both access_id and access_token are required
• If secrets don't exist, create them first via /create-secret

No Secret Results After Scan

• Verify STO module is enabled for the account
• Check scan output logs for errors or warnings
• Confirm the scanner's target configuration points to the correct repository
• Note: absence of results means no secrets were found — this is the desired outcome