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stage | group | info |
---|---|---|
Verify | Pipeline Execution | To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments |
GitLab CI/CD job token
When a pipeline job is about to run, GitLab generates a unique token and injects it as the
CI_JOB_TOKEN
predefined variable.
You can use a GitLab CI/CD job token to authenticate with specific API endpoints:
- Packages:
- Package Registry.
- Container Registry
(the
$CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD
is$CI_JOB_TOKEN
). - Container Registry API
(scoped to the job's project, when the
ci_job_token_scope
feature flag is enabled).
- Get job artifacts.
- Get job token's job.
- Pipeline triggers, using the
token=
parameter. - Releases.
- Terraform plan.
The token has the same permissions to access the API as the user that executes the job. Therefore, this user must be assigned to a role that has the required privileges.
The token is valid only while the pipeline job runs. After the job finishes, you can't use the token anymore.
A job token can access a project's resources without any configuration, but it might give extra permissions that aren't necessary. There is a proposal to redesign the feature for more strategic control of the access permissions.
You can also use the job token to authenticate and clone a repository from a private project in a CI/CD job:
git clone https://gitlab-ci-token:${CI_JOB_TOKEN}@gitlab.example.com/<namespace>/<project>
GitLab CI/CD job token security
To make sure that this token doesn't leak, GitLab:
- Masks the job token in job logs.
- Grants permissions to the job token only when the job is running.
To make sure that this token doesn't leak, you should also configure your runners to be secure. Avoid:
- Using Docker's
privileged
mode if the machines are re-used. - Using the
shell
executor when jobs run on the same machine.
If you have an insecure GitLab Runner configuration, you increase the risk that someone tries to steal tokens from other jobs.
Limit GitLab CI/CD job token access
- Introduced in GitLab 14.1. Deployed behind the
:ci_scoped_job_token
feature flag, disabled by default.- Enabled on GitLab.com and self-managed in GitLab 14.4.
- Feature flag removed in GitLab 14.6.
You can limit the access scope of a project's CI/CD job token to increase the job token's security. A job token might give extra permissions that aren't necessary to access specific private resources. If a job token is leaked it could potentially be used to access data that is private to the job token's user. By limiting the job token access scope, private data cannot be accessed unless projects are explicitly authorized.
Control the job token access scope with an allowlist of other projects authorized to be accessed by authenticating with the current project's job token. By default the token scope only allows access to the same project where the token comes from. Other projects can be added and removed by maintainers with access to both projects.
This setting is enabled by default for all new projects, and disabled by default in projects created before GitLab 14.1. It is strongly recommended that project maintainers enable this setting at all times, and configure the allowlist for cross-project access if needed.
For example, when the setting is enabled, jobs in a pipeline in project A
have
a CI_JOB_TOKEN
scope limited to project A
. If the job needs to use the token
to make an API request to a private project B
, then B
must be added to the allowlist for A
.
If project B
is public or internal, it's not required to be added to the allowlist.
The job token scope is only for controlling access to private projects.
Configure the job token scope limit
- On the top bar, select Menu > Projects and find your project.
- On the left sidebar, select Settings > CI/CD.
- Expand Token Access.
- Toggle Limit CI_JOB_TOKEN access to enabled.
- Optional. Add existing projects to the token's access scope. The user adding a project must have the maintainer role in both projects.
There is a proposal to improve the feature with more strategic control of the access permissions.
Trigger a multi-project pipeline by using a CI job token
CI_JOB_TOKEN
for multi-project pipelines was moved from GitLab Premium to GitLab Free in 12.4.
You can use the CI_JOB_TOKEN
to trigger multi-project pipelines
from a CI/CD job. A pipeline triggered this way creates a dependent pipeline relation
that is visible on the pipeline graph.
For example:
trigger_pipeline:
stage: deploy
script:
- curl --request POST --form "token=$CI_JOB_TOKEN" --form ref=main "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/9/trigger/pipeline"
rules:
- if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG
If you use the CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE
predefined CI/CD variable
in a pipeline triggered this way, the value is pipeline
(not triggered
).
Download an artifact from a different pipeline (PREMIUM)
CI_JOB_TOKEN
for artifacts download with the API was introduced in GitLab 9.5.
You can use the CI_JOB_TOKEN
to access artifacts from a job created by a previous
pipeline. You must specify which job you want to retrieve the artifacts from:
build_submodule:
stage: test
script:
- apt update && apt install -y unzip
- curl --location --output artifacts.zip "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/jobs/artifacts/main/download?job=test&job_token=$CI_JOB_TOKEN"
- unzip artifacts.zip
Read more about the jobs artifacts API.
Troubleshooting
CI job token failures are usually shown as responses like 404 Not Found
or similar:
-
Unauthorized Git clone:
$ git clone https://gitlab-ci-token:$CI_JOB_TOKEN@gitlab.com/fabiopitino/test2.git Cloning into 'test2'... remote: The project you were looking for could not be found or you don't have permission to view it. fatal: repository 'https://gitlab-ci-token:[MASKED]@gitlab.com/<namespace>/<project>.git/' not found
-
Unauthorized package download:
$ wget --header="JOB-TOKEN: $CI_JOB_TOKEN" ${CI_API_V4_URL}/projects/1234/packages/generic/my_package/0.0.1/file.txt --2021-09-23 11:00:13-- https://gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/1234/packages/generic/my_package/0.0.1/file.txt Resolving gitlab.com (gitlab.com)... 172.65.251.78, 2606:4700:90:0:f22e:fbec:5bed:a9b9 Connecting to gitlab.com (gitlab.com)|172.65.251.78|:443... connected. HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 404 Not Found 2021-09-23 11:00:13 ERROR 404: Not Found.
-
Unauthorized API request:
$ curl --verbose --request POST --form "token=$CI_JOB_TOKEN" --form ref=master "https://gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/1234/trigger/pipeline" < HTTP/2 404 < date: Thu, 23 Sep 2021 11:00:12 GMT {"message":"404 Not Found"} < content-type: application/json
While troubleshooting CI/CD job token authentication issues, be aware that:
- When the CI/CD job token limit is enabled,
and the job token is being used to access a different project:
- The user that executes the job must be a member of the project that is being accessed.
- The user must have the permissions to perform the action.
- The target project must be allowlisted for the job token scope limit.
- The CI job token becomes invalid if the job is no longer running, has been erased, or if the project is in the process of being deleted.