Push, commit - oops! Did that password just go public?

GitHub isn’t just for coders. Think of it as a live, version-tracked folder in the cloud: drop in code, documents, papers, datasets, or design files, and every change is logged, commentable, and reversible. You can invite teammates to review, leave comments, or suggest edits - then publish the polished result with one click.

Just mind what you post: in 2024 alone, 39 million secrets leaked on GitHub - that’s one every 0.8 seconds^[ref].

How crooks leverage GitHub:

🔑 Secrets in commits (saved files) - API keys and “temp” passwords linger forever in git history within published files.

🕵️ Repo reconnaissance - they watch your public updates to learn names, tasks, and timelines, then fire off scam emails that blend right in.

📦 Typosquats - a look-alike software add-on (“package”) slips malware into your project when you update libraries.

🔧 Drive-by PRs (change requests) - a stranger’s “typo fix” hides backdoor code that activates once the change is merged.

⚙️ Free compute - hijacking your GitHub’s automation servers to mine crypto on your bill.

📤 Gists as dead-drops - stolen data hides in innocent snippets, gliding past data-loss tools.

⭐ Fake stars & forks - bogus popularity makes a rogue repo look trusted, tempting users to clone code laced with malicious payloads.

🚨 Share your work, not your secrets:

- Turn on secret-scanning push protection.

- Vet any third-party apps or add-ons and pin(lock and assign to a particular version) trusted versions.

- Approve changes only after human review and a signed commit for confirmed authorship and integrity.

- Docs-only user? Keep the repository private (only invited users can see it) and enable 2-factor sign-in.

❓ How do you keep your GitHub clean? Share below.