GitHub package firewall

GitHub Package Firewall is a new intermediary service that inspects package metadata requests and downloads between endpoints (like Actions runners and coding agents) and upstream package registries to stop malware that executes at install time or harvests credentials. Administrators configure enterprise-wide policies - examples today include a configurable cooldown period, checks against the GitHub Advisory Database for known malware or vulnerabilities, and supply‑chain validations such as attestation downgrade detection. Endpoints must be reconfigured to route package list queries and package downloads through the firewall, and teams can request exceptions for packages blocked in error via an exception workflow modeled on other GitHub Advanced Security features.

The capability is available in public preview to all GitHub Enterprise Cloud customers, including data-resident deployments, and is free during the preview while GitHub scales infrastructure and adds features driven by customer feedback. When generally available it will move to metered billing similar to Actions. A notable current limitation is that the firewall only supports npm packages at this time. Detailed setup instructions and community discussion are available through GitHub’s documentation and forums.