Configuring Dependabot alerts

In this article

Enable Dependabot alerts to be generated when a new vulnerable dependency or malware is found in one of your repositories.

About Dependabot alerts for vulnerable dependencies and malware

A vulnerability is a problem in a project's code that could be exploited to damage the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of the project or other projects that use its code. Vulnerabilities vary in type, severity, and method of attack.

Dependabot scans code when a new advisory is added to the GitHub Advisory Database or the dependency graph for a repository changes. When vulnerable dependencies or malware are detected, Dependabot alerts are generated. For more information, see "About Dependabot alerts."

If you have enabled Dependabot security updates for your repository, the alert may also contain a link to a pull request to update the manifest or lock file to the minimum version that resolves the vulnerability. For more information, see "About Dependabot security updates."

You can enable or disable Dependabot alerts for:

  • Your personal account
  • Your repository
  • Your organization

Additionally, you can use Dependabot alert rules to filter out false positive alerts or alerts you're not interested in, based on complex logic from a variety of contextual criteria. For more information, see "About Dependabot alert rules."

Managing Dependabot alerts for your personal account

You can enable or disable Dependabot alerts for all repositories owned by your personal account.

Enabling or disabling Dependabot alerts for existing repositories

  1. In the upper-right corner of any page, click your profile photo, then click Settings.

    Screenshot of GitHub's account menu showing options for users to view and edit their profile, content, and settings. The menu item "Settings" is outlined in dark orange.

  2. In the "Security" section of the sidebar, click Code security and analysis.

  3. Under "Code security and analysis", to the right of Dependabot alerts, click Disable all or Enable all.

  4. Optionally, to enable Dependabot alerts by default for new repositories that you create, in the dialog box, select "Enable by default for new repositories".

  5. Click Disable Dependabot alerts or Enable Dependabot alerts to disable or enable Dependabot alerts for all the repositories you own.

When you enable Dependabot alerts for existing repositories, you will see any results displayed on GitHub within minutes.

Enabling or disabling Dependabot alerts for new repositories

  1. In the upper-right corner of any page, click your profile photo, then click Settings.

    Screenshot of GitHub's account menu showing options for users to view and edit their profile, content, and settings. The menu item "Settings" is outlined in dark orange.

  2. In the "Security" section of the sidebar, click Code security and analysis.

  3. Under "Code security and analysis", to the right of Dependabot alerts, select Automatically enable for new repositories.

Managing Dependabot alerts for your repository

You can manage Dependabot alerts for your public, private or internal repository.

By default, we notify people with write, maintain, or admin permissions in the affected repositories about new Dependabot alerts. GitHub never publicly discloses insecure dependencies for any repository. You can also make Dependabot alerts visible to additional people or teams working on repositories that you own or have admin permissions for.

If you enable security and analysis features, GitHub performs read-only analysis on your repository.

Enabling or disabling Dependabot alerts for a repository

  1. On GitHub.com, navigate to the main page of the repository.
  2. Under your repository name, click Settings. If you cannot see the "Settings" tab, select the dropdown menu, then click Settings. Screenshot of a repository header showing the tabs. The "Settings" tab is highlighted by a dark orange outline.
  3. In the "Security" section of the sidebar, click Code security and analysis.
  4. Under "Code security and analysis", to the right of Dependabot alerts, click Enable to enable alerts or Disable to disable alerts.

Managing Dependabot alerts for your organization

You can enable or disable Dependabot alerts for some or all repositories owned by your organization. For more information about enabling security features across an organization, see "Securing your organization."

Enabling or disabling Dependabot alerts for all existing repositories

You can use the organization settings page for "Code security and analysis" to enable Dependabot alerts for all existing repositories in an organization.

  1. In the top right corner of GitHub.com, click your profile photo, then click Your organizations.

    Screenshot of the dropdown menu under @octocat's profile picture. "Your organizations" is outlined in dark orange.

  2. Next to the organization, click Settings.

  3. In the "Security" section of the sidebar, click Code security and analysis.

  4. Under "Code security and analysis", to the right of Dependabot alerts, click Disable all or Enable all.

  5. Optionally, to enable Dependabot alerts by default for new repositories in your organization, in the dialog box, select "Enable by default for new repositories".

  6. Click Disable Dependabot alerts or Enable Dependabot alerts to disable or enable Dependabot alerts for all the repositories in your organization.