GitHub Secret Scanning Detector Types Renamed
GitHub has renamed several secret scanning detector types to improve clarity and better reflect their detection methods. This is a non-breaking naming update, affecting only the terminology used in the UI and documentation, not the detection behavior itself. The changes aim to make it easier for users to understand how specific secrets are identified, particularly distinguishing between pattern-based and AI-driven detection. All existing documentation links will continue to work due to added redirects.
- →Rename secret scanning detector types for clarity
- →Clarification of secret detection categories
Enhancements (1) ›
- Rename secret scanning detector types for clarity
GitHub is updating the names of secret scanning detector types to better explain how secrets are found. This change is purely cosmetic, with no alteration to the underlying detection logic or behavior. Existing documentation links and API interactions remain unaffected due to added redirects.
Notes (1) ›
- Clarification of secret detection categories
Secrets are now categorized as either 'Provider secrets' issued by specific services or 'Generic secrets' not tied to a provider. Detection methods are described as 'Patterns' using deterministic approaches like regular expressions, and 'AI-detected secrets' which leverage AI for harder-to-find unstructured secrets.
https://github.blog/changelog/2026-07-10-clearer-names-for-secret-scanning-detector-types