API has access to read all issues even though PAT has issues / PR access revoked

[Foxhoundn]

Select Topic Area

Bug

Body

Hello,

I have created a PAT for an organization and it has no access to issues and pull request. Yet when I make an API call with this token to GET /issues/ all of the organizations` issues are returned.

Is that a bug?

Thank you

[github-actions[bot]]

💬 Your Product Feedback Has Been Submitted 🎉

Thank you for taking the time to share your insights with us! Your feedback is invaluable as we build a better GitHub experience for all our users.

Here's what you can expect moving forward ⏩

• Your input will be carefully reviewed and cataloged by members of our product teams. 
  • Due to the high volume of submissions, we may not always be able to provide individual responses.
  • Rest assured, your feedback will help chart our course for product improvements.
• Other users may engage with your post, sharing their own perspectives or experiences. 
• GitHub staff may reach out for further clarification or insight. 
  • We may 'Answer' your discussion if there is a current solution, workaround, or roadmap/changelog post related to the feedback.

Where to look to see what's shipping 👀

• Read the Changelog for real-time updates on the latest GitHub features, enhancements, and calls for feedback.
• Explore our Product Roadmap, which details upcoming major releases and initiatives.

What you can do in the meantime 💻

• Upvote and comment on other user feedback Discussions that resonate with you.
• Add more information at any point! Useful details include: use cases, relevant labels, desired outcomes, and any accompanying screenshots.

As a member of the GitHub community, your participation is essential. While we can't promise that every suggestion will be implemented, we want to emphasize that your feedback is instrumental in guiding our decisions and priorities.

Thank you once again for your contribution to making GitHub even better! We're grateful for your ongoing support and collaboration in shaping the future of our platform. ⭐

[ThisIs-Developer]

hey @Foxhoundn,

PATs should restrict access based on the permissions set during creation. If your token has no access to issues and pull requests, it should not return any issue data.

1. check token scopes: The repo scope can give access to issues, so double-check your token's permissions.
2. permissions: If the account linked to the token has broad access, it might be overriding the token's limitations.
3. try a new token: Create a new PAT with only the specific permissions you need.

If its helpful, please mark it as an answer!😴

[Foxhoundn]

Thanks for your reply! :) So if the PAT was created by an admin / owner of the organization - it would override the perms? :/

[ThisIs-Developer]

Hey @Foxhoundn,

Even if the PAT is created by an admin or owner, the token's permissions should not be overridden. The scopes set during token creation still apply but the user's account linked to the token may have higher access rights that could explain the broader access.

Hope that clears it up! 😄

https://github.blog/changelog/2022-11-02-permissions-filtering-for-organization-fine-grained-pats/
https://docs.github.com/en/organizations/managing-programmatic-access-to-your-organization/setting-a-personal-access-token-policy-for-your-organization