---
title: Managing custom patterns
shortTitle: Manage custom patterns
intro: 'You can view, edit, and remove custom patterns, as well as enable push protection for custom patterns.'
product: '{% data reusables.gated-features.secret-scanning %}'
versions:
  ghes: '*'
  ghec: '*'
type: how_to
topics:
  - Advanced Security
  - Secret scanning
---

Custom patterns are user-defined patterns that you can use to identify secrets that are not detected by the default patterns supported by {% data variables.product.prodname_secret_scanning %}. For more information, see "[AUTOTITLE](/code-security/secret-scanning/using-advanced-secret-scanning-and-push-protection-features/custom-patterns/defining-custom-patterns-for-secret-scanning)."

## Editing a custom pattern

When you save a change to a custom pattern, this closes all the {% data variables.secret-scanning.alerts %} that were created using the previous version of the pattern.

{% data reusables.secret-scanning.view-custom-pattern %}
1. Under "{% data variables.product.prodname_secret_scanning_caps %}", to the right of the custom pattern you want to edit, click {% octicon "pencil" aria-label="Edit pattern" %}.
{%- ifversion custom-pattern-dry-run-ga  %}
1. When you're ready to test your edited custom pattern, to identify matches without creating alerts, click **Save and dry run**.
{%- endif %}
1. When you have reviewed and tested your changes, click **Publish changes**.{% ifversion secret-scanning-push-protection-custom-patterns %}
{% data reusables.advanced-security.secret-scanning-enable-push-protection-custom-pattern %}
1. Optionally, to disable push protection for your custom pattern, click **Disable**.

   ![Screenshot of the custom pattern page with the button to disable push protection highlighted with a dark orange outline.](/assets/images/help/repository/secret-scanning-disable-push-protection-custom-pattern.png){% endif %}

## Removing a custom pattern

{% data reusables.secret-scanning.view-custom-pattern %}
1. To the right of the custom pattern you want to remove, click {% octicon "trash" aria-label="Remove pattern" %}.
1. Review the confirmation, and select a method for dealing with any open alerts relating to the custom pattern.
1. Click **Yes, delete this pattern**.

{% ifversion secret-scanning-push-protection-custom-patterns %}

## Enabling push protection for a custom pattern

You can enable {% data variables.product.prodname_secret_scanning %} as a push protection for custom patterns stored at {% ifversion ghec or ghes %}the enterprise, organization, or repository level{% else %} the organization or repository level{% endif %}.

{% ifversion ghec or ghes %}

### Enabling push protection for a custom pattern stored in an enterprise

{% data reusables.secret-scanning.push-protection-enterprise-note %}

Before enabling push protection for a custom pattern at enterprise level, you must also{% ifversion custom-pattern-dry-run-ga %} test your custom patterns using dry runs. {% data reusables.secret-scanning.dry-runs-enterprise-permissions %}{% else %} test your custom patterns in a repository before defining them for your entire enterprise, as there is no dry-run functionality. That way, you can avoid creating excess false-positive {% data variables.secret-scanning.alerts %}.{% endif %}

{% data reusables.enterprise-accounts.access-enterprise %}
{% data reusables.enterprise-accounts.policies-tab %}{% ifversion security-feature-enablement-policies %}
{% data reusables.enterprise-accounts.code-security-and-analysis-policies %}
1. Under "Code security and analysis", click **Security features**.{% else %}
{% data reusables.enterprise-accounts.advanced-security-policies %}
{% data reusables.enterprise-accounts.advanced-security-security-features %}{% endif %}
{% data reusables.advanced-security.secret-scanning-edit-custom-pattern %}

   {% ifversion custom-pattern-dry-run-ga %}
   >[!NOTE] At the enterprise level, you can only edit and enable push protection for custom patterns that you created.
   {%- endif %}

1. To enable push protection for your custom pattern, scroll down to "Push Protection", and click **Enable**.

   {% data reusables.secret-scanning.custom-pattern-push-protection-enable-button %}

   ![Screenshot of the custom pattern page with the button to enable push protection highlighted with a dark orange outline.](/assets/images/help/repository/secret-scanning-custom-pattern-enable-push-protection.png)

{% endif %}

### Enabling {% data variables.product.prodname_secret_scanning %} as a push protection in an organization for a custom pattern

Before enabling push protection for a custom pattern at organization level, you must ensure that you enable {% data variables.product.prodname_secret_scanning %} for the repositories that you want to scan in your organization. To enable {% data variables.product.prodname_secret_scanning %} on all repositories in your organization, see "[AUTOTITLE](/organizations/keeping-your-organization-secure/managing-security-settings-for-your-organization/managing-security-and-analysis-settings-for-your-organization)."

{% data reusables.profile.access_org %}
{% data reusables.profile.org_settings %}
{% data reusables.organizations.security-and-analysis %}

{% ifversion security-configurations %}
    {% data reusables.security-configurations.changed-org-settings-global-settings-callout %} For next steps on managing custom patterns for your organization with {% data variables.product.prodname_global_settings %}, see "[AUTOTITLE](/code-security/securing-your-organization/enabling-security-features-in-your-organization/configuring-global-security-settings-for-your-organization#defining-custom-patterns)." For information on enabling push protection for specific custom patterns, reference the following steps.
{% endif %}

{% data reusables.repositories.navigate-to-ghas-settings %}
{% data reusables.advanced-security.secret-scanning-edit-custom-pattern %}
1. To enable push protection for your custom pattern, scroll down to "Push Protection", and click **Enable**.
{% indented_data_reference reusables.secret-scanning.push-protection-org-notes spaces=3 %}

   ![Screenshot of the "Push protection" section of the custom pattern page. A button, labeled "Enable", is outlined in dark orange.](/assets/images/help/repository/secret-scanning-custom-pattern-enable-push-protection.png)

### Enabling {% data variables.product.prodname_secret_scanning %} as a push protection in a repository for a custom pattern

Before enabling push protection for a custom pattern at repository level, you must define the custom pattern for the repository, and test it in the repository. For more information, see "[AUTOTITLE](/code-security/secret-scanning/using-advanced-secret-scanning-and-push-protection-features/custom-patterns/defining-custom-patterns-for-secret-scanning#defining-a-custom-pattern-for-a-repository)."

{% data reusables.repositories.navigate-to-repo %}
{% data reusables.repositories.sidebar-settings %}
{% data reusables.repositories.navigate-to-code-security-and-analysis %}
{% data reusables.repositories.navigate-to-ghas-settings %}
{% data reusables.advanced-security.secret-scanning-edit-custom-pattern %}
1. To enable push protection for your custom pattern, scroll down to "Push Protection", and click **Enable**.

   {% data reusables.secret-scanning.custom-pattern-push-protection-enable-button %}

   ![Screenshot of the "Push protection" section of the custom pattern page. A button, labeled "Enable", is outlined in dark orange.](/assets/images/help/repository/secret-scanning-custom-pattern-enable-push-protection.png)

{% endif %}