[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":791},["ShallowReactive",2],{"/en-us/blog/gitlab-security-hardening-documentation":3,"navigation-en-us":38,"banner-en-us":438,"footer-en-us":448,"blog-post-authors-en-us-Mark Loveless":687,"blog-related-posts-en-us-gitlab-security-hardening-documentation":701,"assessment-promotions-en-us":743,"next-steps-en-us":781},{"id":4,"title":5,"authorSlugs":6,"body":8,"categorySlug":9,"config":10,"content":14,"description":8,"extension":25,"isFeatured":12,"meta":26,"navigation":27,"path":28,"publishedDate":20,"seo":29,"stem":33,"tagSlugs":34,"__hash__":37},"blogPosts/en-us/blog/gitlab-security-hardening-documentation.yml","Gitlab Security Hardening Documentation",[7],"mark-loveless",null,"security",{"slug":11,"featured":12,"template":13},"gitlab-security-hardening-documentation",false,"BlogPost",{"title":15,"description":16,"authors":17,"heroImage":19,"date":20,"body":21,"category":9,"tags":22},"The backstory on GitLab's security hardening documentation","GitLab has detailed documentation about how to harden your instance, now as a part of GitLab itself. Here's how it came to be.",[18],"Mark Loveless","https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1749665667/Blog/Hero%20Images/built-in-security.jpg","2023-08-01","\nRecently, my fellow Security team member [Ayoub Fandi](https://gitlab.com/ayofan) released an excellent blog post entitled “[How to harden your self-managed GitLab instance](https://about.gitlab.com/blog/how-to-harden-your-self-managed-gitlab-instance/),” which featured seven steps for helping to lock down your environment. Ayoub’s blog post was based, in part, on early drafts of research into hardening I had been working on. I had no idea how long it would take me to reach a point where I could finally say this, but those original drafts are now a [part of GitLab documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/security/hardening.html).\n\n## Hardening your GitLab instance\nThe goal of the hardening documentation is for DevSecOps teams to be able to apply security controls and make sure your data and your GitLab instance are protected.\n\nHere's what I will cover:\n- the origins of the hardening documentation\n- field research, including a few attack scenarios\n- bringing an instance online\n- insight into when to use hardening, specifically how to do a bit of threat modeling and get the basics sorted before diving deep into full hardening\n\n## Origins of the hardening documentation\nThe idea for creating extensive hardening documentation started with a blog post I wrote three years ago called “[GitLab instance: Security best practices](https://about.gitlab.com/blog/gitlab-instance-security-best-practices/).\" This became a rather popular reference for GitLab customers asking about securing their self-managed instance (and even a SaaS deployment).\n\nAs I participated in other security efforts around Gitlab, such as [FedRAMP certification](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/security/security-assurance/security-compliance/fedramp-compliance/), [compliance requirements](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/security/security-assurance/security-compliance/certifications/), and general [security concerns](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/security/), I realized we needed more support materials focused on the \"Sec\" in DevSecOps.\n\nThe hardening project was born from this -  based largely off of an instance I had loaded up in 2020 and was using at home. During all of this time, from 2020 until now, I took notes, performed tests, had hacker friends and work colleagues poke and prod at this home system, and, then took even more notes. No doubt, the information I learned would be a huge benefit to GitLab users so I opted to create recommendations that could be updated frequently and accessible directly from a GitLab instance via the Help menu.\n\n## Field research\nI've been a security professional for well over a couple of decades and have had my own domain online since 1997, using five static IP addresses in my house. This deployment includes web services, a Mastodon instance, and a mail server. These systems have been used by a few close hacker friends during this time as a testbed, a place to converse and exchange ideas, and a great educational environment. A few years ago, I thought it would be fun for this group to have its own private GitLab instance called [Blackhole](https://blackhole.nmrc.org/). We could work on coding projects together, collaborate, and, since I worked at GitLab, I could use it for testing of a standalone instance for certain work-inspired issues.\n\nHaving live servers up with dedicated and static IP addresses means that, yes, these servers are under pretty much constant attack. Because of this clustering of security friends on these systems, we’ve even been targeted by more sophisticated attackers, up to and including nation states. A perfect test environment for real-world attack scenarios.\n\n### Attack scenarios\nLike many in the security field, over the years I’ve seen a number of attacks firsthand, so I made a list of things I needed for hardening against attacks. After doing some [threat modeling](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/security/product-security/application-security/threat-modeling/), I noted the following three areas of concern:\n1. **Opportunistic intruders (okay, who am I kidding, [script kiddies](https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/script-kiddy-or-script-kiddie)).** These types of attacks are typically composed of easy-to-use scripts against known vulnerable applications. This has happened to me. Within five minutes of installation of an odd web-based application, while still reading the documentation and wondering if the apparently vulnerable software was actually working, it was compromised. So I had to assume immediate attacks would happen if I loaded this up on a live system exposed to the open internet.\n2. **Layered or chained attacks.** This is when an attacker takes advantage of a particular sub-component that is exposed to the internet, and while the sub-component might not allow for full system access, it could allow for access to another sub-component with access to data. I was determined to disable or secure as much as possible, leaving as few exposed ports or running services as possible.\n3. **Advanced persistent threat ([APT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_persistent_threat)) attackers.** They have repeatedly gone after my former employers, and as they learned who their employees were, home systems would become targets, and [mine were no exception](https://www.markloveless.net/blog/2021/6/8/advancing-persistently-against-apt). To this day, I receive an APT attack attempt every few months. Knowing that one tactic of APT attackers is supply chain attacks, having a DevSecOps platform shared by hackers could be seen as a delicious target, so security had to be top of mind.\n\n## Bringing an instance online\nAs I installed Blackhole, I first configured the firewall at the operating system level to close off all of the ports from public access, only allowing access from my internal network. As a rule, my perimeter router allows all traffic in for those five static IP addresses, with each system following strict firewall rules using the operating system’s firewall capabilities. Most of these five systems cannot even talk to each other, or only have the bare minimum connectivity configured to enable functionality. As I was monitoring traffic to my public systems via my perimeter router, in less than 10 minutes, I started seeing port scans against Blackhole’s IP address, well before it had even finished installation of the Linux operating system. I was glad the firewall was up and running from the start.\n\nAs GitLab was installed and Blackhole came up in its state as a GitLab instance, I started going through the various settings and making sure that things were locked down as tight as possible. Anything I wasn’t using was disabled. This applied to the underlying operating system as well as the GitLab software itself. When I felt good enough about it, I adjusted the firewall settings to open things up ever so slightly, and the system has been under near constant attack since.\n\n## When to use the hardening documentation\nGitLab is a comprehensive DevSecOps platform that can handle all kinds of security scenarios. GitLab the company uses the product to not only develop the platform, but we also run the company off of it. The feature-rich platform can be configured in many different ways. Keeping that in mind, note that one setup might be set up to be more secure than another simply because of the environment it needs to be included in. There are drastically different configuration choices for an environment that is publicly accessible vs. one that is only accessible from employee workstations, or  a large enterprise with employees located on multiple continents vs. a small business' single server deployment.\n\nHardening, therefore, is dependent on your unique environment, and requires you to understand the threats you need to mitigate against, and account for any regulatory and compliance requirements to which you must adhere. However, there are a few common steps that can lead you through the process.\n\n### Start with the basics\nThe first recommendation is to start with a few basics. Make sure you have some ground rules established in your organization such as password standards, software upgrade schedules, and compliance requirements. This will make it easier as you move through the process. Understand the threats your organization has faced in the past, and the potential threats you could face in the future. I wrote a blog post on [threat modeling](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/security/product-security/application-security/threat-modeling/) and [we use it internally](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/security/product-security/application-security/threat-modeling/howto.html) as well.\n\n### Full hardening\nI’d recommend reading [Ayoub’s blog post](https://about.gitlab.com/blog/how-to-harden-your-self-managed-gitlab-instance/) and follow the seven steps he puts forward. In many cases, after you’ve finished Ayoub’s blog post you will have enough to meet your security needs right there. If you need more, delve into the [hardening recommendations documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/security/hardening.html). Adapt it as needed to meet your organization’s security demands, and explore the possibilities to increase the security of your environment. Note that these recommendations are not limited to just GitLab settings, but also includes a few recommendations for the underlying operating system itself.\n\n### Share your feedback\nIf you have ideas for more security tips and tricks or questions regarding the hardening documentation, please open an issue on GitLab. We’d love to hear from you and welcome feedback and contributions! And if you want to learn more about how we do security at GitLab, review the [security section](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/security/) of the handbook.\n",[9,23,24],"cloud native","DevSecOps","yml",{},true,"/en-us/blog/gitlab-security-hardening-documentation",{"title":15,"description":16,"ogTitle":15,"ogDescription":16,"noIndex":12,"ogImage":19,"ogUrl":30,"ogSiteName":31,"ogType":32,"canonicalUrls":30},"https://about.gitlab.com/blog/gitlab-security-hardening-documentation","https://about.gitlab.com","article","en-us/blog/gitlab-security-hardening-documentation",[9,35,36],"cloud-native","devsecops","QQ01A071SLHGF3biZ2PJ2uytfCE1G6FdgmwKRzpB2Ew",{"data":39},{"logo":40,"freeTrial":45,"sales":50,"login":55,"items":60,"search":368,"minimal":399,"duo":418,"pricingDeployment":428},{"config":41},{"href":42,"dataGaName":43,"dataGaLocation":44},"/","gitlab logo","header",{"text":46,"config":47},"Get free 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complete guide to GitLab Container Scanning","Explore GitLab's various container scanning methods and learn how to secure containers at every lifecycle stage.",[707],"Fernando Diaz",[9,709],"tutorial","https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772721753/frfsm1qfscwrmsyzj1qn.png","2026-03-05","Container vulnerabilities don't wait for your next deployment. They can emerge at any\npoint, including when you build an image or while containers run in production.\nGitLab addresses this reality with multiple container scanning approaches, each designed\nfor different stages of your container lifecycle.\n\nIn this guide, we'll explore the different types of container scanning GitLab offers,\nhow to enable each one, and common configurations to get you started.\n\n## Why container scanning matters\n\nSecurity vulnerabilities in container images create risk throughout your application\nlifecycle. Base images, OS packages, and application dependencies can all harbor\nvulnerabilities that attackers actively exploit. Container scanning detects these risks\nearly, before they reach production, and provides remediation paths when available.\n\nContainer scanning is a critical component of Software Composition Analysis (SCA),\nhelping you understand and secure the external dependencies your containerized\napplications rely on.\n\n## The five types of GitLab Container Scanning\n\nGitLab offers five distinct container scanning approaches, each serving a specific\npurpose in your security strategy.\n\n\n### 1. Pipeline-based Container Scanning\n\n* What it does: Scans container images during your CI/CD pipeline execution,\ncatching vulnerabilities before deployment\n\n* Best for: Shift-left security, blocking vulnerable images from reaching production \n\n* Tier availability: Free, Premium, and Ultimate (with enhanced features in Ultimate)  \n\n* [Documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/application_security/container_scanning/)\n\n\nGitLab uses the Trivy security scanner to analyze container images for\nknown vulnerabilities. When your pipeline runs, the scanner examines your images\nand generates a detailed report.\n\n\n#### How to enable pipeline-based Container Scanning \n\n**Option A: Preconfigured merge request**  \n\n* Navigate to **Secure > Security configuration** in your project.\n* Find the \"Container Scanning\" row.\n* Select **Configure with a merge request**.\n* This automatically creates a merge request with the necessary configuration.  \n\n**Option B: Manual configuration**  \n\n* Add the following to your `.gitlab-ci.yml`:\n\n```yaml\ninclude:\n  - template: Jobs/Container-Scanning.gitlab-ci.yml\n```  \n\n#### Common configurations\n\n**Scan a specific image:**\n\nTo scan a specific image, overwrite the `CS_IMAGE` variable in the `container_scanning` job.\n\n```yaml\ninclude:\n  - template: Jobs/Container-Scanning.gitlab-ci.yml\n\ncontainer_scanning:\n  variables:\n    CS_IMAGE: myregistry.com/myapp:latest\n```\n\n**Filter by severity threshold:**\n\nTo only find vulnerabilities with a certain severity criteria, overwrite the\n`CS_SEVERITY_THRESHOLD` variable in the `container_scanning` job. In the example\nbelow, only vulnerabilities with a severity of **High** or greater will be displayed.\n\n\n```yaml\ninclude:\n  - template: Jobs/Container-Scanning.gitlab-ci.yml\n\ncontainer_scanning:\n  variables:\n    CS_SEVERITY_THRESHOLD: \"HIGH\"\n```\n\n#### Viewing vulnerabilities in a merge request\n\nViewing Container Scanning vulnerabilities directly within merge requests makes security\nreviews seamless and efficient. Once Container Scanning is configured in your CI/CD\npipeline, GitLab automatically display detected vulnerabilities in the merge request's\n[Security widget](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/project/merge_requests/widgets/#application-security-scanning). \n\n\n![Container Scanning vulnerabilities displayed in MR](https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772547514/lt6elcq6jexdhqatdy8l.png \"Container Scanning vulnerabilities displayed in MR\")\n\n\n\n* Navigate to any merge request and scroll to the \"Security Scanning\" section to see a summary of\nnewly introduced and existing vulnerabilities found in your container images.\n\n* Click on a **Vulnerability** to access detailed information about the finding, including severity level,\naffected packages, and available remediation guidance.\n\n\n![GitLab Security View details in MR](https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772547514/hplihdlekc11uvpfih1p.png)\n\n\n\n![GitLab Security View details in MR](https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772547513/jnxbe7uld8wfeezboifs.png \"Container Scanning vulnerability details in MR\")\n\n\nThis visibility enables developers and security teams to catch and address container\nvulnerabilities before they reach production, making security an integral part of your\ncode review process rather than a separate gate.\n\n\n#### Viewing vulnerabilities in Vulnerability Report\n\nBeyond merge request reviews, GitLab provides a centralized\n[Vulnerability Report](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/application_security/vulnerability_report/) that gives security teams comprehensive visibility across all Container Scanning findings in your project.\n\n\n![Vulnerability Report sorted by Container Scanning](https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772547524/gagau279fzfgjpnvipm5.png \"Vulnerability Report sorted by Container Scanning\")\n\n\n* Access this report by navigating to **Security & Compliance > Vulnerability Report** in your\nproject sidebar.\n\n* Here you'll find an aggregated view of all container vulnerabilities detected across your branches, with powerful filtering options to sort by severity, status, scanner type, or specific container images.\n\n* You can click on a vulnerabilty to access its Vulnerablity page.\n\n\n![Vulnerability page - 1st view](https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772547520/e1woxupyoajhrpzrlylj.png)\n\n\n![Vulnerability page - 2nd view](https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772547521/idzcftcgjc8eryixnbjn.png)\n\n\n![Vulnerability page - 3rd view](https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772547522/mbbwbbprtf9anqqola10.png \"Vunerability Details for a Container Scanning vulnerability\")\n\n\n[Vulnerability Details](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/application_security/vulnerabilities/)\nshows exactly which container images and layers are impacted, making it easier to trace the\nvulnerability back to its source. You can assign vulnerabilities to team members, change\ntheir status (detected, confirmed, resolved, dismissed), add comments for collaboration,\nand link related issues for tracking remediation work.\n\nThis workflow transforms vulnerability management from a spreadsheet exercise into an integrated part of your development process, ensuring that container security findings are tracked, prioritized, and resolved systematically.\n\n#### View the Dependency List\n\nGitLab's [Dependency List](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/application_security/dependency_list/)\nprovides a comprehensive software bill of materials (SBOM) that catalogs every component within\nyour container images, giving you complete transparency into your software supply chain.\n\n* Navigate to **Security & Compliance > Dependency List** to access an inventory of all packages,\nlibraries, and dependencies detected by Container Scanning across your project.\n\n* This view is invaluable for understanding what's actually running inside your containers, from base OS\npackages to application-level dependencies.\n\n\n![GitLab Dependency List](https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772547513/vjg6dk3nhajqamplroji.png \"GitLab Dependency List (SBOM)\")\n\n\nYou can filter the list by package manager, license type, or vulnerability status to quickly\nidentify which components pose security risks or compliance concerns. Each dependency entry\nshows associated vulnerabilities, allowing you to understand security issues in the context\nof your actual software components rather than as isolated findings.\n\n\n### 2. Container Scanning for Registry\n\n* What it does: Automatically scans images pushed to your GitLab Container Registry\nwith the `latest` tag\n\n* Best for: Continuous monitoring of registry images without manual pipeline triggers  \n\n* Tier availability: Ultimate only \n\n* [Documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/application_security/container_scanning/#container-scanning-for-registry) \n\n\nWhen you push a container image tagged `latest`, GitLab's security policy bot\nautomatically triggers a scan against the default branch. Unlike pipeline-based\nscanning, this approach works with Continuous Vulnerability Scanning to monitor\nfor newly published advisories.\n\n#### How to enable Container Scanning for Registry\n\n1. Navigate to **Secure > Security configuration**.\n2. Scroll to the **Container Scanning For Registry** section.\n3. Toggle the feature on.\n\n![Container Scanning for Registry](https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772547512/vntrlhtmsh1ecnwni5ji.png \"Toggle for Container Scanning for Registry\")\n\n#### Prerequisites\n\n- Maintainer role or higher in the project\n- Project must not be empty (requires at least one commit on the default branch)\n- Container Registry notifications must be configured\n- Package Metadata Database must be configured (enabled by default on GitLab.com)\n\nVulnerabilities appear under the **Container Registry vulnerabilities** tab in your\nVulnerability Report.\n\n\n### 3. Multi-Container Scanning\n\n* What it does: Scans multiple container images in parallel within a single pipeline \n* Best for: Microservices architectures and projects with multiple container images  \n* Tier availability: Free, Premium, and Ultimate (currently in Beta)  \n* [Documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/application_security/container_scanning/multi_container_scanning/) \n\nMulti-Container Scanning uses dynamic child pipelines to run scans concurrently, significantly reducing overall pipeline execution time when you need to scan multiple images.\n\n#### How to enable Multi-Container scanning\n\n1. Create a `.gitlab-multi-image.yml` file in your repository root:\n\n```yaml\nscanTargets:\n  - name: alpine\n    tag: \"3.19\"\n  - name: python\n    tag: \"3.9-slim\"\n  - name: nginx\n    tag: \"1.25\"\n```\n\n2. Include the template in your `.gitlab-ci.yml`:\n\n```yaml\ninclude:\n  - template: Jobs/Multi-Container-Scanning.latest.gitlab-ci.yml\n```\n\n#### Advanced configuration\n\n**Scan images from private registries:**\n\n```yaml\nauths:\n  registry.gitlab.com:\n    username: ${CI_REGISTRY_USER}\n    password: ${CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD}\n\nscanTargets:\n  - name: registry.gitlab.com/private/image\n    tag: latest\n```\n\n**Include license information:**\n\n```yaml\nincludeLicenses: true\n\nscanTargets:\n  - name: postgres\n    tag: \"15-alpine\"\n```\n\n\n### 4. Continuous Vulnerability Scanning\n\n* What it does: Automatically creates vulnerabilities when new security advisories are published, no pipeline required \n\n* Best for: Proactive security monitoring between deployments\n\n* Tier availability: Ultimate only\n\n* [Documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/application_security/continuous_vulnerability_scanning/)  \n\nTraditional scanning only catches vulnerabilities at scan time. But what happens\nwhen a new CVE is published tomorrow for a package you scanned yesterday? Continuous\nVulnerability Scanning solves this by monitoring the GitLab Advisory Database and\nautomatically creating vulnerability records when new advisories affect your components.\n\n\n#### How it works\n\n1. Your Container Scanning or Dependency Scanning job generates a CycloneDX SBOM.\n\n2. GitLab registers your project's components from this SBOM.\n\n3. When new advisories are published, GitLab checks if your components are affected.\n\n4. Vulnerabilities are automatically created in your vulnerability report.\n\n\n#### Key considerations\n\n- Scans run via background jobs (Sidekiq), not CI pipelines.\n\n- Only advisories published within the last 14 days are considered for new component detection.\n\n- Vulnerabilities use \"GitLab SBoM Vulnerability Scanner\" as the scanner name.\n\n- To mark vulnerabilities as resolved, you still need to run a pipeline-based scan.\n\n\n### 5. Operational Container Scanning\n\n* What it does: Scans running containers in your Kubernetes cluster on a\nscheduled cadence\n\n* Best for: Post-deployment security monitoring and runtime vulnerability detection  \n\n* Tier availability: Ultimate only\n\n* [Documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/clusters/agent/vulnerabilities/)\n\n\nOperational Container Scanning bridges the gap between build-time security and\nruntime security. Using the GitLab Agent for Kubernetes, it scans containers\nactually running in your clusters—catching vulnerabilities that emerge after\ndeployment.\n\n#### How to enable Operational Container Scanning\n\nIf you are using the [GitLab Kubernetes Agent](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/clusters/agent/install/), you can add the following to your agent configuration file:\n\n```yaml\ncontainer_scanning:\n  cadence: '0 0 * * *'  # Daily at midnight\n  vulnerability_report:\n    namespaces:\n      include:\n        - production\n        - staging\n```\n\n\nYou can also create a [scan execution policy](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/clusters/agent/vulnerabilities/#enable-via-scan-execution-policies) that enforces scanning on a schedule by the GitLab Kubernetes Agent.\n\n\n![Scan execution policy - Operational Container Scanning](https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772547515/gsgvjcq4sas4dfc8ciqk.png \"Scan execution policy conditions for Operational Container Scanning\")\n\n#### Viewing results\n\n* Navigate to **Operate > Kubernetes clusters**.\n\n* Select the **Agent** tab, and choose your agent.\n\n* Then select the **Security** tab to view cluster vulnerabilities.\n\n* Results also appear under the **Operational Vulnerabilities** tab in the **Vulnerability Report**.\n\n\n## Enhancing posture with GitLab Security Policies\n\nGitLab Security Policies enable you to enforce consistent security standards across your container workflows through automated, policy-driven controls. These policies shift security left by embedding requirements directly into your development pipeline, ensuring vulnerabilities are caught and addressed before code reaches production.\n\n#### Scan execution and pipeline policies\n\n[Scan execution policies](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/application_security/policies/scan_execution_policies/) automate when and how Container Scanning runs across your projects. Define policies that trigger container scans on every merge request, schedule recurring scans of your main branch, and more. These policies ensure comprehensive coverage without relying on developers to manually configure scanning in each project's CI/CD pipeline.\n\nYou can specify which scanner versions to use and configure scanning parameters centrally, maintaining consistency across your organization while adapting to new container security threats.\n\n![Scan execution policy configuration](https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772547517/z36dntxslqem9udrynvx.png \"Scan execution policy configuration\")\n\n\n[Pipeline execution policies](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/application_security/policies/pipeline_execution_policies/) provide flexible controls for injecting (or overriding) custom jobs into a pipeline based on your compliance needs.\n\nUse these policies to automatically inject Container Scanning jobs into your pipeline, fail builds when container vulnerabilities exceed your risk tolerance, trigger additional security checks for specific branches or tags, or enforce compliance requirements for container images destined for production environments. Pipeline execution policies act as automated guardrails, ensuring your security standards are consistently applied across all container deployments without manual intervention.\n\n![Pipeline execution policy](https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772547517/ddhhugzcr2swptgodof2.png \"Pipeline execution policy actions\")\n\n#### Merge request approval policies\n\n[Merge request approval policies](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/application_security/policies/merge_request_approval_policies/) enforce security gates by requiring designated approvers to review and sign off on merge requests containing container vulnerabilities.\n\nConfigure policies that block merge when critical or high-severity vulnerabilities are detected, or require security team approval for any merge request introducing new container findings. These policies prevent vulnerable container images from advancing through your pipeline while maintaining development velocity for low-risk changes.\n\n![Merge request approval policy performing block in MR](https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772547513/hgnbc1vl4ssqafqcyuzg.png \"Merge request approval policy performing block in MR\")\n\n\n## Choosing the right approach\n\n| Scanning Type | When to Use | Key Benefit |\n|--------------|-------------|-------------|\n| Pipeline-based | Every build | Shift-left security, blocks vulnerable builds |\n| Registry scanning | Continuous monitoring | Catches new CVEs in stored images |\n| Multi-container | Microservices | Parallel scanning, faster pipelines |\n| Continuous vulnerability | Between deployments | Proactive advisory monitoring |\n| Operational | Production monitoring | Runtime vulnerability detection |\n\n\n\nFor comprehensive security, consider combining multiple approaches. Use\npipeline-based scanning to catch issues during development, container\nscanning for registry for continuous monitoring, and operational scanning\nfor production visibility.\n\n## Get started today\n\nThe fastest path to container security is enabling pipeline-based scanning:\n\n1. Navigate to your project's **Secure > Security configuration**.\n2. Click **Configure with a merge request** for Container Scanning.\n3. Merge the resulting merge request.\n4. Your next pipeline will include vulnerability scanning.\n\nFrom there, layer in additional scanning types based on your security requirements\nand GitLab tier.\n\nContainer security isn't a one-time activity, it's an ongoing process.\nWith GitLab's comprehensive container scanning capabilities, you can detect\nvulnerabilities at every stage of your container lifecycle, from build to runtime.\n\n> For more information on how GitLab can help enhance your security posture, visit the [GitLab Security and Governance Solutions Page](https://about.gitlab.com/solutions/application-security-testing/).\n",{"slug":714,"featured":27,"template":13},"complete-guide-to-gitlab-container-scanning",{"content":716,"config":728},{"title":717,"description":718,"authors":719,"heroImage":722,"date":723,"body":724,"category":9,"tags":725},"Track vulnerability remediation with the updated GitLab Security Dashboard","Quickly prioritize remediation on high-risk projects and measure progress with vulnerability insights.",[720,721],"Alisa Ho","Mike Clausen","https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1771438388/t6sts5qw4z8561gtlxiq.png","2026-02-19","Security teams and developers face the same frustration: thousands of vulnerabilities demanding attention, without the insights to help them prioritize remediation. Where is risk concentrated and how fast is it being remediated? Where will remediation efforts have the greatest impact? The updated GitLab Security Dashboard helps answer these questions with trend tracking, vulnerability age distribution, and risk scoring by project.\n\n## Measure remediation, not just detection\nApplication security teams don’t struggle to find vulnerabilities; they struggle to make sense of them. Most dashboards show raw counts without context, forcing teams to spend countless hours chasing remediation without understanding what vulnerabilities expose them to the greatest risks.\n\n[GitLab Security Dashboard](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/application_security/security_dashboard/#new-security-dashboards) consolidates all vulnerability data into one view that spans projects, groups, and business units.\n\nIn 18.6, we introduced the first release of the updated Security Dashboard, allowing teams to view vulnerabilities over time and filter based on project or report type. As part of the [18.9 release](https://about.gitlab.com/releases/2026/02/19/gitlab-18-9-released/), customers will be able to take advantage of new filters and charts that make it easier to slice data by severity, status, scanner, or project and visualize trends such as open vulnerabilities, remediation velocity, vulnerability age distribution, and risk score over time.\n\nRisk scores help teams prioritize remediating their most critical vulnerabilities. The risk score is calculated using factors such as vulnerability age, Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS), and Known Exploited Vulnerability (KEV) scores for related repositories and their security postures. With this data, application security teams can pinpoint which areas need more attention than others. \n\nGitLab Security Dashboard helps application security and development teams:\n* **Track program effectiveness**: Monitor remediation velocity, scanner adoption, and risk posture to show measurable improvement.\n* **Focus on targeted remediation**: Fix vulnerabilities that represent the greater risk to production systems.\n* **Identify areas for remediation training**: Find which teams struggle with remediating vulnerabilities in accordance with company policy to invest in additional training. \n* **Reduce manual reporting**: Eliminate the need for external dashboards and spreadsheets by tracking everything directly within GitLab.\n\nThis update reflects GitLab’s continued commitment to making security measurable, contextual, and integrated into everyday development workflows. GitLab Security Dashboard turns raw findings into actionable insights, giving security and development teams the clarity to prioritize, reduce risk faster, and prove their progress.\n\n## See Security Dashboard in action\nAn application security leader preparing for an executive briefing can now show whether investments are reducing risk with clear trendlines: open vulnerabilities decreasing, vulnerability age decreasing, once-prevalent CWE types trending downward, and a healthy risk score. Instead of presenting raw counts, they can demonstrate how the backlog is shrinking and how risk posture is improving quarter over quarter.\n\nAt the same time, developers can see the same dashboard highlighting critical vulnerabilities in their active projects, allowing them to focus remediation efforts without exporting data or juggling multiple tools.\n\n\u003Ciframe src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/1166108924?badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;\" title=\"Security-Dashboard-Demo-Final\">\u003C/iframe>\u003Cscript src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js\">\u003C/script>\n\n> For more details on how to get started with GitLab Security Dashboard today, check out our [documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/application_security/security_dashboard/).",[9,726,727],"product","features",{"featured":12,"template":13,"slug":729},"track-vulnerability-remediation-with-the-updated-gitlab-security-dashboard",{"content":731,"config":741},{"title":732,"description":733,"heroImage":734,"body":735,"date":736,"category":9,"authors":737,"tags":739},"How to set up GitLab SAML SSO with Google Workspace","Learn how to automate user provisioning and sync permissions with Google groups with this step-by-step guide.","https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1759320418/xjmqcozxzt4frx0hori3.png","Single sign-on (SSO) simplifies user authentication and improves security by allowing employees to access multiple applications with one set of credentials. For organizations using both GitLab and Google Workspace, integrating SAML-based SSO streamlines access management and ensures your teams can collaborate seamlessly.\n\nIn this guide, we'll walk through configuring SAML authentication between Google Workspace and GitLab.com, including automatic group synchronization that maps Google Workspace groups to GitLab roles. By the end, your users will be able to sign in to GitLab using their Google credentials, and their permissions will automatically reflect their Google group memberships.\n\n**Note:** This guide focuses on GitLab.com (SaaS). If you're using GitLab Self-Managed, the setup process differs slightly. Refer to the [official GitLab SAML documentation for self-managed instances](https://docs.gitlab.com/integration/saml/) for detailed instructions.\n\n## What you'll need\n\nBefore getting started, make sure you have:\n- **Google Workspace** with Super Admin access\n- **GitLab.com** with a Premium or Ultimate tier subscription\n- **Owner role** on a GitLab top-level group\n- Users already existing in Google Workspace (they'll be created in GitLab automatically on first login)\n\n## Understanding the architecture\n\nWhen you configure SAML SSO with group synchronization, here's what happens:\n\n1. **Authentication flow**: Users navigate to GitLab's SSO URL and are redirected to Google Workspace to authenticate.\n2. **SAML assertion**: After successful authentication, Google sends a SAML response containing user details and group memberships.\n3. **Automatic provisioning**: GitLab creates the user account (if needed) and assigns them to groups based on their Google group memberships.\n4. **Permission sync**: Each time users sign in, GitLab updates their group memberships and roles to match their current Google groups.\n\nThis setup provides several benefits:\n\n- **Centralized access control**: You can manage user access through Google Workspace groups.\n- **Automatic provisioning**: New users gain GitLab access on their first login.\n- **Dynamic permissions**: User roles update automatically based on group membership changes.\n- **Enhanced security**: You can leverage Google's authentication security features.\n- **Reduced administrative overhead**: There is no need to manually manage GitLab group memberships.\n\n## Part 1: Get your GitLab SAML configuration values\n\nFirst, you'll need to gather some information from GitLab that you'll use when creating the SAML application in Google Workspace. Here are the steps to take:\n\n### Step 1: Navigate to your GitLab group SAML settings\n\n1. Sign in to **GitLab.com**.\n2. Navigate to your **top-level group** (Note: SAML SSO can only be configured at the top-level group, not in subgroups).\n3. In the left sidebar, select **Settings > SAML SSO**.\n\n### Step 2: Copy the required URLs\n\nOn the SAML SSO settings page, you'll see three important URLs. Copy and save these somewhere accessible — you'll need them shortly:\n\n- **Assertion consumer service URL**: This is where Google will send SAML responses.\n  - Format: `https://gitlab.com/groups/your-group/-/saml/callback`\n\n- **Identifier**: Also called the Entity ID, this uniquely identifies your GitLab group.\n  - Format: `https://gitlab.com/groups/your-group`\n\n- **GitLab SSO URL**: This is the URL your users will use to sign in.\n  - Format: `https://gitlab.com/groups/your-group/-/saml/sso`\n\n\n\u003Cfigure>\n  \u003Cimg src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1769090029/lrw6jbn7ussjze6lxg5o.png\" alt=\"GitLab SAML single sign-on settings\">\n  \u003Cfigcaption>\u003Cem>GitLab SAML single sign-on settings\u003C/em>\u003C/figcaption>\n\u003C/figure>\n## Part 2: Create your SAML application in Google Workspace\n\nNow you'll create a custom SAML application in Google Workspace that connects to your GitLab group.\n\n### Step 3: Access the Google Admin Console\n\n1. Open a new browser tab and sign in to the [Google Admin Console](https://admin.google.com/) with a Super Administrator account.\n2. Click the **Menu** icon (☰) in the top-left.\n3. Navigate to **Apps > Web and mobile apps**.\n4. Click **Add App > Add custom SAML app**.\n\u003Cp>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cfigure>\n  \u003Cimg src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1769090026/c2inhqzppdbszysupjcd.png\" alt=\"Google custom SAML app\">\n  \u003Cfigcaption>\u003Cem>Google custom SAML app\u003C/em>\u003C/figcaption>\n\u003C/figure>\n\n### Step 4: Configure the application name\n\n1. In the **App name** field, enter GitLab (or your preferred name).\n2. Optionally upload a **GitLab logo** as the app icon for easy recognition.\n3. Click **Continue**.\n\n### Step 5: Download Google identity provider details\n\nOn the **Google Identity Provider details** page, you'll need to capture two pieces of information:\n\n1. **SSO URL**: Copy this URL. It tells GitLab where to send authentication requests.\n   - Example format: `https://accounts.google.com/o/saml2/idp?idpid=C1234abcd`\n\n\n2. **Certificate**: Click the **Download** button to save the certificate file.\n   - The file will be named something like: `GoogleIDPCertificate-gitlab.pem`\n   - Save this file somewhere you can easily find it. You'll need it in the next section\n\n3. Click **Continue**.\n\n### Step 6: Configure service provider details\n\nThis is where you'll use the GitLab URLs you copied in Step 2. Enter the following:\n\n| **Field** | **Value** | **Description** |\n|-----------|-----------|-----------------|\n| **ACS URL** | Your GitLab Assertion consumer service URL | Where Google sends SAML responses |\n| **Entity ID** | Your GitLab Identifier | Unique identifier for your GitLab group |\n| **Start URL** | Leave blank | Not required for this setup |\n| **Name ID format** | Select **EMAIL** | The format for the user identifier |\n| **Name ID** | Select **Basic Information > Primary Email** | The user's primary email will be used as their identifier |\n| **Signed response** | Leave unchecked | GitLab doesn't require signed responses by default |\n\n\u003Cfigure style=\"margin: 24px 0;\">\n  \u003Cimg src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1769090028/kaui5vj14gkftbfgsbnz.png\" alt=\"GitLab SAML app details\">\n  \u003Cfigcaption>\u003Cem>GitLab SAML app details\u003C/em>\u003C/figcaption>\n\u003C/figure>\n\n\nClick **Continue** when complete.\n\n### Step 7: Configure attribute mapping\n\nAttribute mapping tells Google which user information to send to GitLab. You'll configure both basic user attributes and group membership.\n\n#### Basic attributes\n\nAdd these three attribute mappings by clicking **Add mapping** for each:\n\n| **Google Directory attribute** | **App attribute** |\n|--------------------------------|-------------------|\n| Primary email | email |\n| First name | first_name |\n| Last name | last_name |\n\n#### Group membership configuration\n\nThis is the critical configuration that enables automatic group synchronization:\n\n1. Scroll down to the **\"Group membership (optional)\"** section.\n2. Under **\"Google groups\"**, click **\"Search for a group\"**.\n3. Search for and select each Google Workspace group you want to synchronize with GitLab.\n   - You can select up to 75 groups\n   - Examples: Engineering, DevOps, Platform-Team, Security-Team\n\n4. Under **\"App attribute\"**, enter exactly: `groups`.\n5. Click **Finish**.\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cfigure>\n  \u003Cimg src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1769090027/ksuebt9uoe3w5cdzsjkl.png\" alt=\"GitLab SAML app attribute mapping\">\n  \u003Cfigcaption>\u003Cem>GitLab SAML app attribute mapping\u003C/em>\u003C/figcaption>\n\u003C/figure>\n\n> **Critical**: The app attribute name **MUST** be exactly `groups` (lowercase). This is what GitLab expects to receive in the SAML response. Any other value or capitalization will prevent group synchronization from working.\n\n### Step 8: Enable the application for users\n\nYour SAML app is created but not yet enabled. To make it available to users:\n\n1. In the Google Admin Console, find your **GitLab** app in the Web and mobile apps list.\n2. Click on the app to open its details.\n3. In the left sidebar, click **User access**.\n4. Select one of the following:\n   - **ON for everyone** - Enables the app for all users in your organization\n   - **ON for some organizational units** - Select specific organizational units\n\n5. Click **Save**.\n\n**Note**: Changes can take up to 24 hours to propagate, but typically take effect within a few minutes.\n\n## Part 3: Convert the certificate to SHA-1 fingerprint format\n\nGitLab requires a SHA-1 certificate fingerprint, but Google's certificate download doesn't include this format directly. You'll need to convert it.\n\n### Step 9: Convert your certificate\n\nYou have two options for converting the certificate to the required format.\n\n#### Option 1: Online conversion tool\n\nThis is a viable method if you're comfortable using a third-party tool:\n\n1. **Locate the certificate file** you downloaded in Step 5:\n   - Check your Downloads folder\n   - The file name will be something like: `GoogleIDPCertificate-gitlab.pem`\n\n2. **Open the file** in a text editor:\n   - Mac: **Right-click > Open With > TextEdit**\n   - Windows: **Right-click > Open With > Notepad**\n   - Linux: Use your preferred text editor\n\n3. **Copy ALL contents** of the file, including the header and footer:\n\n\n  ```text\n  -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----\n  MIIDdDCCAlygAwIBAgIGAXqD...\n  (multiple lines of encoded text)\n  ...kE7RnF6yQ==\n  -----END CERTIFICATE-----\n  ```\n\n\n4. **Navigate to**: A SHA-1 fingerprint conversion tool. [This one](https://www.samltool.com/fingerprint.php) is a good example.\n5. **Paste the certificate content** into the text box.\n6. **Select \"SHA-1\"** from the algorithm dropdown (not SHA-256!).\n7. Click **\"Calculate Fingerprint\"**.\n8. **Copy the resulting fingerprint** - it will be in the format: `XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:...`.\n\n#### Option 2: Command-line conversion\n\nIf you prefer using the command line:\n\n**For Mac, Linux, or Windows with WSL:**\n\n\n  ```bash\n  cd ~/Downloads\n  openssl x509 -noout -fingerprint -sha1 -inform pem -in \"GoogleIDPCertificate-gitlab.pem\"\n  ```\n\n\nThe output will show:\n\n\n  ```text\n  SHA1 Fingerprint=XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX\n  ```\n\n\nCopy everything after `SHA1 Fingerprint=`.\n\n## Part 4: Complete your GitLab SAML configuration\n\nNow that you have the Google SSO URL and certificate fingerprint, you can complete the GitLab side of the configuration.\n\n### Step 10: Enter Google identity provider details\n\nReturn to your GitLab browser tab (**Settings > SAML SSO**) and do the following:\n\n1. **Identity provider SSO URL**:\n   - Paste the SSO URL you copied from Google in Step 5\n\n2. **Certificate fingerprint**:\n   - Paste the SHA-1 fingerprint you generated in Step 9\n   - Verify the format is correct: 59 characters with colons (XX:XX:XX:...)\n\n3. **Enable SAML authentication for this group**:\n   - Check this box to activate SAML SSO\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cfigure>\n  \u003Cimg src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1769090027/ncoeqrdu7aahyuflrq7b.png\" alt=\"GitLab SAML Configuration with Google SAML values\">\n  \u003Cfigcaption>\u003Cem>GitLab SAML Configuration with Google SAML values\u003C/em>\u003C/figcaption>\n\u003C/figure>\n\n### Step 11: Configure security settings (recommended)\n\nFor enhanced security, consider enabling these additional options:\n\n- **\"Enforce SAML authentication for web activity for this group\"**\n  - Requires users to authenticate via SAML to access the GitLab web interface\n\n- **\"Enforce SAML authentication for Git and Dependency Proxy activity for this group\"**\n  - Requires SAML authentication for Git operations and dependency proxy access\n\nClick **Save changes** to apply your configuration.\n\n### Step 12: Test your SAML configuration\n\nBefore proceeding with group synchronization, verify that basic SAML authentication works:\n\n1. Open an incognito or private browsing window.\n2. Navigate to your GitLab SSO URL.\n   - Format: `https://gitlab.com/groups/your-group/-/saml/sso`\n\n3. You should be redirected to the Google sign-in page.\n4. Sign in with a Google Workspace account that has access to the GitLab app.\n5. After successful authentication, you should be redirected back to GitLab.\n\n**If the test succeeds**, you can proceed to configure group synchronization.\n\n**If the test fails**, check the following:\n\n- Verify the certificate fingerprint is SHA-1 format (not SHA-256).\n- Confirm the SSO URL is correct.\n- Ensure the user has access to the GitLab SAML app in Google Admin Console.\n- Check that the ACS URL and Entity ID match exactly.\n\n## Part 5: Set up SAML group synchronization\n\nNow it's time to map your Google Workspace groups to GitLab roles so that permissions are automatically managed based on group membership.\n\n### Step 13: Configure default membership role\n\nAs a security best practice, set a minimal default role for users who log in but don't belong to any mapped groups:\n\n1. In your GitLab group, navigate to **Settings > General**.\n2. Expand the **Permissions and group features** section.\n3. Under **Default membership role**, select **Minimal Access or Guest**.\n4. Click **Save changes**.\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cfigure>\n  \u003Cimg src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1769097587/syi0jeaspzt9tki0w9nd.png\" alt=\"GitLab SAML Default membership setting\">\n  \u003Cfigcaption>\u003Cem>GitLab SAML Default membership setting\u003C/em>\u003C/figcaption>\n\u003C/figure>\n\n### Step 14: Create SAML group links\n\nSAML Group Links are the mappings between Google Workspace groups and GitLab roles. Here's how to create them:\n\n1. In your GitLab group, navigate to **Settings > SAML Group Links**.\n2. Click **\"Add new SAML Group Link\"**.\n\nFor each Google Workspace group you want to sync:\n\n**SAML Group Name**:\n\n- Enter the **exact name** of your Google Workspace group\n- This is **case-sensitive** and must match perfectly\n- Example: Engineering (not engineering)\n- To find the exact name: Google Admin Console > Directory > Groups\n\n**Access Level**: Select the appropriate GitLab role:\n\n- **Minimal Access** - Can see that the group exists\n- **Guest** - Can view issues and leave comments\n- **Reporter** - Can pull code, view issues, and create new issues\n- **Developer** - Can push code, create merge requests, and manage issues\n- **Maintainer** - Can manage project settings and members\n- **Owner** - Full administrative control over the group\n\n3. Click **Save**.\n4. **Repeat this process** for each Google Workspace group you want to map.\n\n**Note:** SAML group sync rules are enforced every time a user signs in. If a user's Google group membership matches a sync rule, their GitLab role will be automatically set to the configured access level, even if you've manually changed it to something different. For example, if you set up a sync rule that grants \"Maintainer\" access and then manually promote a user to \"Owner,\" they'll be automatically downgraded back to \"Maintainer\" on their next SAML sign-in.\n\n**Best practices:** To maintain custom access levels for specific users, do one of the following:\n\n - Use SAML group sync only on your top-level group and manually manage permissions in subgroups\n\n - Create separate Google groups for users who need elevated permissions\n \n - Avoid setting up sync rules that would conflict with manual role assignments\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure>\n  \u003Cimg src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1769090028/etjoaiuyhnqh4gnjqcha.png\" alt=\"GitLab SAML Group Links setup\">\n  \u003Cfigcaption>\u003Cem>GitLab SAML Group Links setup\u003C/em>\u003C/figcaption>\n\u003C/figure>\n### Example group mapping configuration\n\nHere's a practical example of how you might structure your group mappings:\n\n| **Google Workspace Group** | **GitLab Role** | **Purpose** |\n|----------------------------|-----------------|-------------|\n| GitLab-Admins | Owner | Full administrative access |\n| Engineering-Team | Maintainer | Can manage projects and settings |\n| Developer-Team | Developer | Can write and push code |\n| QA-Team | Developer | Can test and manage issues |\n| Contractors | Reporter | Read-only access to code |\n| All-Employees | Minimal Access | Basic visibility |\n\n### Step 15: Verify your group links\n\nAfter creating all your group links:\n\n1. Review the complete list of SAML Group Links in **Settings > SAML Group Links**.\n2. Verify each **SAML Group Name** exactly matches the corresponding Google Workspace group.\n3. Verify each **Access Level** is appropriate for the intended purpose.\n4. Check for any typos or extra spaces.\n\n## Part 6: Test the complete configuration\n\nNow it's time to test the entire setup including group synchronization.\n\n### Step 16: Test with a real user\n\nChoose a test user who meets these criteria:\n\n- Has a Google Workspace account\n- Is a member of at least one Google Workspace group you configured\n- Has the GitLab SAML app enabled in Google Admin Console\n- Ideally is not you (to ensure a realistic test)\n\nTo perform the test:\n\n1. **Open an incognito or private browsing window**\n2. **Navigate to your GitLab SSO URL**:\n   - `https://gitlab.com/groups/your-group/-/saml/sso`\n\n3. **Sign in** with the test user's Google Workspace credentials\n4. The user should be:\n   - Authenticated successfully\n   - Redirected to GitLab\n   - Automatically added to the GitLab group\n   - Assigned the appropriate role based on their Google group membership\n\n### Step 17: Verify group membership and role assignment\n\nUsing your GitLab administrator account:\n\n1. Navigate to your group in GitLab.\n2. Select **Manage > Members** from the left sidebar.\n3. Find the test user in the members list.\n4. Verify the following:\n   - User appears in the members list\n   - User has the correct **Max role** based on their Google group(s)\n   - **Source** column shows a SAML indicator\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cfigure>\n  \u003Cimg src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1769090026/hiov7kiukidsiyscfesg.png\" alt=\"Verified SAML user added\">\n  \u003Cfigcaption>\u003Cem>Verified SAML user added\u003C/em>\u003C/figcaption>\n\u003C/figure>\n\n## Part 7: Configure subgroup access (optional)\n\nFor larger organizations, you may want to provide more granular access control using GitLab subgroups. SAML Group Links can be configured at any level of your group hierarchy, allowing you to map different Google Workspace groups to specific teams or projects.\n\n### Understanding GitLab's subgroup structure\n\nGitLab supports nested group hierarchies that can mirror your organizational structure:\n\n  ```text\n  acme-corp/                          ← Top-level group (SAML configured here)\n  ├── engineering/                    ← Subgroup\n  │   ├── backend/                   ← Nested subgroup\n  │   └── frontend/                  ← Nested subgroup\n  ├── marketing/                      ← Subgroup\n  └── operations/                     ← Subgroup\n  ```\n\n\n### Creating subgroups\n\nIf you need to create additional subgroups:\n\n1. Navigate to your **parent group** (e.g., acme-corp).\n2. Click the **New subgroup** button.\n3. Configure the subgroup:\n   - **Subgroup name**: Display name (e.g., Engineering)\n   - **Subgroup URL**: URL slug (e.g., engineering)\n   - **Visibility level**: Choose Private, Internal, or Public\n\n4. Click **Create subgroup**.\n5. Repeat for other subgroups as needed.\n\n### Configuring SAML group links for subgroups\nHere are the steps to configure SAML group links for subgroups.\n\n#### Add new Google groups to the SAML app (if needed)\n\nIf you're introducing new Google Workspace groups for subgroup access:\n\n1. Go to **Google Admin Console > Apps > Web and mobile apps > GitLab**.\n2. Click **SAML attribute mapping**.\n3. Scroll to **\"Group membership (optional)\"**.\n4. Add your new groups (e.g., Backend-Team, Frontend-Team).\n5. Verify the **\"App attribute\"** is still `groups`.\n6. Click **Save**.\n\n#### Map Google groups to subgroups\n\n1. **Navigate to the specific subgroup** in GitLab\n   - Example: acme-corp/engineering/backend\n\n2. Go to **Settings > SAML Group Links**.\n3. Click **\"Add new SAML Group Link\"**.\n4. Configure the mapping:\n   - **SAML Group Name**: Backend-Team (exact Google Workspace group name)\n   - **Access Level**: Developer (or your desired role)\n\n5. Click **Save**.\nRepeat this process for all subgroups and their corresponding Google groups.\n\n### Multi-level access example\n\nHere's how permissions might work across different levels:\n\n#### Top-level group: acme-corp\n\nSAML Group Links:\n\n- \"Company-Admins\" → Owner\n- \"All-Employees\" → Minimal Access\n\n#### Subgroup: acme-corp/engineering\n\nSAML Group Links:\n\n- \"Engineering-Leads\" → Owner\n- \"Engineering-Team\" → Maintainer\n\n#### Nested subgroup: acme-corp/engineering/backend\n\nSAML Group Links:\n\n- \"Backend-Leads\" → Maintainer\n- \"Backend-Team\" → Developer\n\n### How permissions inherit and combine\n\nUnderstanding permission behavior is important:\n\n- **Role calculation**: At each level, users receive the **highest role** from all their Google groups.\n- **Inheritance**: Higher permissions at parent levels flow down to child subgroups.\n- **Independence**: Each level calculates permissions based on its own group links plus inherited permissions.\n- **No limitation**: Lower permissions at parent levels do NOT restrict higher permissions at child levels.\n\n**Example scenarios**:\n\n**User A** (member of Backend-Team only):\n\n- acme-corp: Minimal Access (from \"All-Employees\" default)\n- acme-corp/engineering: Minimal Access (inherited from parent)\n- acme-corp/engineering/backend: Developer (from \"Backend-Team\" mapping)\n\n**User B** (member of Engineering-Leads and Backend-Team):\n\n- acme-corp: Minimal Access (from \"All-Employees\" default)\n- acme-corp/engineering: Owner (from \"Engineering-Leads\" mapping)\n- acme-corp/engineering/backend: Owner (inherited from parent, which is higher than Developer)\n\n## How the synchronization works\n\nUnderstanding the mechanics of SAML group synchronization helps you manage the system effectively.\n\n### Synchronization timing\n\n- **When sync occurs**: Group memberships update **every time** a user signs in via SAML.\n- **Frequency**: Changes are not continuous — they only happen at login.\n- **Direction**: Synchronization is **one-way** from Google Workspace to GitLab.\n- **First login**: User account is created automatically and groups are assigned.\n- **Subsequent logins**: Existing group memberships are updated to match current Google groups.\n\n### Role priority and combination\n\nWhen a user belongs to multiple Google Workspace groups:\n\n- GitLab evaluates **all** the user's groups at each level of the hierarchy.\n- The user receives the **highest role** from any of their groups.\n- This calculation happens independently at each level (top-level group, subgroups, etc.).\n\n**Example**:\n\n- User in \"Developers\" (Developer role) + \"Tech-Leads\" (Maintainer role) → Gets **Maintainer**\n\n### Automatic role changes\n\nThe system automatically handles membership changes:\n\n- **User added to a Google group**: Role upgraded on next login.\n- **User removed from a Google group**: Role recalculated based on remaining groups on next login.\n- **User removed from all mapped groups**: Reverts to default membership role on next login.\n- **User added to additional groups**: Gets highest role from all groups on next login.\n\n### Propagation timing\n\nBe aware of these timing considerations:\n\n- **Google Workspace changes**: Can take up to 24 hours to propagate, though usually take only a few minutes.\n- **GitLab sync**: Happens immediately when the user logs in after Google changes are live.\n- **Testing**: Have users log out and log back in to test permission changes.\n\n## Understanding user lifecycle and edge cases\n\n### What happens when you remove a user from GitLab?\n\n**Removing permissions only:** If you remove a user from GitLab projects but leave their account active and they're still in the authorized Google groups:\n\n- They keep their same account (same user ID and username)\n- When they log in via SAML, their group memberships are automatically restored\n- They regain permissions based on their current Google group memberships\n\n**Blocking the account:**\n\n- Account exists but is locked\n- User cannot log in even if in Google groups\n- Can be unblocked later, preserving all history\n\n**Deleting the account:**\n\n- Account is permanently removed\n- If user logs in again (while still in Google groups), GitLab creates a **completely new account**\n- New account has different user ID with no connection to the old one\n\n### Proper offboarding process\n\nTo permanently revoke access, follow this order:\n\n1. **Remove from Google Workspace groups** - Prevents authentication\n2. **Block in GitLab** - Prevents account recreation and preserves audit trails\n3. **Delete account (optional)** - Only if you're certain they won't return\n\n> **Critical**: Removing a user only from GitLab without removing them from Google groups means they can simply log back in and regain access.\n\n### Google group membership propagation\n\nAccording to [Google's documentation](https://support.google.com/a/answer/11143403), group membership changes can take up to 24 hours to propagate, though typically occur within minutes.\n\n### Account recreation scenarios\n\n| **Scenario** | **User still in Google groups?** | **What happens on login** |\n|--------------|----------------------------------|---------------------------|\n| Permissions removed | Yes | Same account, group memberships restored |\n| Account blocked | Yes | Login fails |\n| Account deleted | Yes | New account created with new user ID |\n| Removed from Google groups | No | Login fails at Google |\n\n## Troubleshooting common issues\n\nEven with careful configuration, you might encounter issues. Here are solutions to the most common problems.\n\n### Users not being added to groups\n\n**Symptom**: User successfully logs in via SAML but doesn't appear in any GitLab groups, or appears with only the default role.\n\n**Possible causes and solutions**:\n\n1. **Group names don't match exactly**\n   - Check spelling and capitalization in both Google Workspace and GitLab\n   - Look for extra spaces before or after group names\n   - Verify the exact name in Google Admin Console > Directory > Groups\n\n2. **User not actually in the Google group**\n   - Verify membership: Google Admin Console > Directory > Groups > [Group] > Members\n   - Remember that nested group membership might not be included\n\n3. **Groups not configured in SAML app**\n   - Verify the groups are selected in Google SAML attribute mapping\n   - Confirm \"App attribute\" is set to `groups` (lowercase)\n   - Use \"Test SAML Login\" to inspect the SAML response\n\n4. **Timing or cache issue**\n   - Wait 24 hours for Google changes to fully propagate\n   - Have the user log out of GitLab and Google completely\n   - Clear browser cache and try again\n   - User must log in via the SAML SSO URL, not regular GitLab login\n\n### User has incorrect role\n\n**Symptom**: User has access but with the wrong permission level.\n\n**Possible causes and solutions**:\n\n1. **User belongs to multiple groups**\n   - Remember: Users get the **highest** role from all their groups\n   - Check all Google groups the user belongs to\n   - Review all SAML Group Link configurations at all levels\n\n2. **SAML Group Link misconfigured**\n   - Verify the Access Level setting in Settings > SAML Group Links\n   - Check for duplicate group mappings that might conflict\n\n3. **User hasn't logged in since changes**\n   - Roles only update when users log in via SAML\n   - Have the user log out completely and log back in via the SSO URL\n\n4. **Inherited permissions from parent groups**\n   - Check SAML Group Links in parent groups\n   - Remember that higher roles at parent levels flow down to children\n\n### SAML authentication fails completely\n\n**Symptom**: Users cannot log in at all, or receive error messages during authentication.\n\n**Possible causes and solutions**:\n\n1. **Incorrect certificate fingerprint**\n   - Verify you used SHA-1 format, not SHA-256\n   - Check the fingerprint has the correct format with colons\n   - Regenerate using the online tool or OpenSSL command\n\n2. **Wrong SSO URL**\n   - Double-check the SSO URL copied from Google\n   - Ensure there are no extra spaces or characters\n\n3. **ACS URL or Entity ID mismatch**\n   - Verify the ACS URL in Google Admin Console matches GitLab exactly\n   - Confirm the Entity ID matches between both systems\n\n4. **User doesn't have app access**\n   - Check User Access settings in Google Admin Console\n   - Verify the user's organizational unit has the app enabled\n   - Confirm the app is \"ON\" for the appropriate users\n\n5. **Certificate expired**\n   - Check certificate validity dates\n   - Download a fresh certificate if needed\n\n### Groups attribute missing from SAML response\n\n**Symptom**: Users can log in but group synchronization doesn't work at all.\n\n**Possible causes and solutions**:\n\n1. **Groups not selected in Google configuration**\n   - Return to **Google Admin > Apps > GitLab > Attribute** mapping\n   - Verify groups are selected under \"Group membership\"\n   - Confirm \"App attribute\" is exactly `groups` (lowercase)\n\n2. **User not in any configured groups**\n   - Only groups the user belongs to are sent in the SAML response\n   - Add the user to at least one selected group to test\n\n3. **Configuration hasn't propagated**\n   - Wait up to 24 hours for changes to take effect\n   - Try logging out of Google Admin Console and back in\n\n4. **Typo in app attribute name**\n   - The attribute name must be exactly `groups` (lowercase)\n   - Even a capital letter or extra space will break functionality\n\n## Best practices for managing SAML group sync\n\nFollow these recommendations to maintain a secure and efficient setup.\n\n### Security best practices\n\n1. **Maintain emergency access**\n   - Keep at least one Owner account that uses password authentication (not SAML)\n   - This provides emergency access if SAML configuration breaks\n   - Store these credentials securely\n\n2. **Use least privilege principle**\n   - Set default membership to Minimal Access\n   - Only grant higher permissions through explicit group mappings\n   - Regularly review and audit group memberships\n\n3. **Enable enforcement options**\n   - Turn on \"Enforce SAML authentication\" options\n   - This prevents users from bypassing SSO\n   - Exceptions should be rare and well-documented\n\n4. **Regular security audits**\n   - Quarterly review of Google Workspace group memberships\n   - Annual review of SAML Group Link mappings\n   - Monitor GitLab audit logs for unusual access patterns\n\n## Summary and next steps\n\nCongratulations! You've successfully configured SAML SSO and automatic group synchronization between Google Workspace and GitLab. Your setup now provides:\n\n- **Seamless authentication** - Users sign in with their familiar Google Workspace credentials.\n- **Automatic provisioning** - User accounts are created on first login without manual intervention.\n- **Dynamic permissions** - Group memberships and roles update automatically based on Google Workspace groups.\n- **Centralized access control** - Manage all access through your existing Google Workspace groups.\n- **Enhanced security** - Leverage Google's authentication infrastructure and enforce consistent policies.\n- **Reduced administrative overhead** - Eliminate manual user and permission management in GitLab.\n\n### What happens now\n\nWhen users access GitLab:\n\n1. They navigate to your GitLab SSO URL.\n2. Authenticate using their Google Workspace credentials.\n3. Get automatically added to appropriate GitLab groups.\n4. Receive permissions based on their Google group memberships.\n5. Their permissions update every time they sign in.\n\n### Additional resources\n\n- [GitLab SAML SSO Documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/group/saml_sso/)\n- [GitLab SAML Group Sync Documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/group/saml_sso/group_sync.html)\n- [Google Workspace SAML App Setup](https://support.google.com/a/answer/6087519)\n- [SAML Certificate Fingerprint Tool](https://www.samltool.com/fingerprint.php)\n\n## Related article\n* [How-to: GitLab Single Sign-on with SAML, SCIM, and Azure's Entra ID](https://about.gitlab.com/blog/how-to-gitlab-single-sign-on-with-saml-scim-and-azures-entra-id/)","2026-01-27",[738],"Omid Khan",[9,709,726,740],"google",{"featured":27,"template":13,"slug":742},"how-to-set-up-gitlab-saml-sso-with-google-workspace",{"promotions":744},[745,759,770],{"id":746,"categories":747,"header":749,"text":750,"button":751,"image":756},"ai-modernization",[748],"ai-ml","Is AI achieving its promise at scale?","Quiz will take 5 minutes or less",{"text":752,"config":753},"Get your AI maturity score",{"href":754,"dataGaName":755,"dataGaLocation":242},"/assessments/ai-modernization-assessment/","modernization assessment",{"config":757},{"src":758},"https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772138786/qix0m7kwnd8x2fh1zq49.png",{"id":760,"categories":761,"header":762,"text":750,"button":763,"image":767},"devops-modernization",[726,36],"Are you just managing tools or shipping innovation?",{"text":764,"config":765},"Get your DevOps maturity score",{"href":766,"dataGaName":755,"dataGaLocation":242},"/assessments/devops-modernization-assessment/",{"config":768},{"src":769},"https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772138785/eg818fmakweyuznttgid.png",{"id":771,"categories":772,"header":773,"text":750,"button":774,"image":778},"security-modernization",[9],"Are you trading speed for security?",{"text":775,"config":776},"Get your security maturity score",{"href":777,"dataGaName":755,"dataGaLocation":242},"/assessments/security-modernization-assessment/",{"config":779},{"src":780},"https://res.cloudinary.com/about-gitlab-com/image/upload/v1772138786/p4pbqd9nnjejg5ds6mdk.png",{"header":782,"blurb":783,"button":784,"secondaryButton":789},"Start building faster today","See what your team can do with the intelligent orchestration platform for DevSecOps.\n",{"text":785,"config":786},"Get your free trial",{"href":787,"dataGaName":49,"dataGaLocation":788},"https://gitlab.com/-/trial_registrations/new?glm_content=default-saas-trial&glm_source=about.gitlab.com/","feature",{"text":494,"config":790},{"href":53,"dataGaName":54,"dataGaLocation":788},1773350815476]