---
stage: Verify
group: Pipeline Execution
info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
---

# GitLab CI/CD job token **(FREE)**

When a pipeline job is about to run, GitLab generates a unique token and injects it as the
[`CI_JOB_TOKEN` predefined variable](../variables/predefined_variables.md).

You can use a GitLab CI/CD job token to authenticate with specific API endpoints:

- Packages:
  - [Package Registry](../../user/packages/package_registry/index.md#use-gitlab-cicd-to-build-packages).
  - [Container Registry](../../user/packages/container_registry/index.md#build-and-push-by-using-gitlab-cicd)
    (the `$CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD` is `$CI_JOB_TOKEN`).
  - [Container Registry API](../../api/container_registry.md)
    (scoped to the job's project, when the `ci_job_token_scope` feature flag is enabled).
- [Get job artifacts](../../api/job_artifacts.md#get-job-artifacts).
- [Get job token's job](../../api/jobs.md#get-job-tokens-job).
- [Pipeline triggers](../../api/pipeline_triggers.md), using the `token=` parameter.
- [Releases](../../api/releases/index.md).
- [Terraform plan](../../user/infrastructure/index.md).

The token has the same permissions to access the API as the user that caused the
job to run. A user can cause a job to run by pushing a commit, triggering a manual job,
being the owner of a scheduled pipeline, and so on. Therefore, this user must be assigned to
[a role that has the required privileges](../../user/permissions.md#gitlab-cicd-permissions).

The token is valid only while the pipeline job runs. After the job finishes, you can't
use the token anymore.

A job token can access a project's resources without any configuration, but it might
give extra permissions that aren't necessary. There is [a proposal](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/3559)
to redesign the feature for more strategic control of the access permissions.

You can also use the job token to authenticate and clone a repository from a private project
in a CI/CD job:

```shell
git clone https://gitlab-ci-token:${CI_JOB_TOKEN}@gitlab.example.com/<namespace>/<project>
```

## GitLab CI/CD job token security

To make sure that this token doesn't leak, GitLab:

- Masks the job token in job logs.
- Grants permissions to the job token only when the job is running.

To make sure that this token doesn't leak, you should also configure
your [runners](../runners/index.md) to be secure. Avoid:

- Using Docker's `privileged` mode if the machines are re-used.
- Using the [`shell` executor](https://docs.gitlab.com/runner/executors/shell.html) when jobs
  run on the same machine.

If you have an insecure GitLab Runner configuration, you increase the risk that someone
tries to steal tokens from other jobs.

## Limit GitLab CI/CD job token access

> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/328553) in GitLab 14.1. [Deployed behind the `:ci_scoped_job_token` feature flag](../../user/feature_flags.md), disabled by default.
> - [Enabled on GitLab.com and self-managed](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/332272) in GitLab 14.4.
> - [Feature flag removed](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/332272) in GitLab 14.6.

You can limit the access scope of a project's CI/CD job token to increase the
job token's security. A job token might give extra permissions that aren't necessary
to access specific private resources.
If a job token is leaked it could potentially be used to access data that is private
to the job token's user. By limiting the job token access scope, private data cannot
be accessed unless projects are explicitly authorized.

Control the job token access scope with an allowlist of other projects authorized
to be accessed by authenticating with the current project's job token. By default
the token scope only allows access to the same project where the token comes from.
Other projects can be added and removed by maintainers with access to both projects.

This setting is enabled by default for all new projects, and disabled by default in projects
created before GitLab 14.1. It is strongly recommended that project maintainers enable this
setting at all times, and configure the allowlist for cross-project access if needed.

For example, when the setting is enabled, jobs in a pipeline in project `A` have
a `CI_JOB_TOKEN` scope limited to project `A`. If the job needs to use the token
to make an API request to a private project `B`, then `B` must be added to the allowlist for `A`.
If project `B` is public or internal, it's not required to be added to the allowlist.
The job token scope is only for controlling access to private projects.

### Configure the job token scope limit

1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Projects** and find your project.
1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > CI/CD**.
1. Expand **Token Access**.
1. Toggle **Limit CI_JOB_TOKEN access** to enabled.
1. Optional. Add existing projects to the token's access scope. The user adding a
   project must have the Maintainer role in both projects.

There is [a proposal](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/3559) to improve
the feature with more strategic control of the access permissions.

## Trigger a multi-project pipeline by using a CI job token

> `CI_JOB_TOKEN` for multi-project pipelines was [moved](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/31573) from GitLab Premium to GitLab Free in 12.4.

You can use the `CI_JOB_TOKEN` to trigger [multi-project pipelines](../pipelines/multi_project_pipelines.md)
from a CI/CD job. A pipeline triggered this way creates a dependent pipeline relation
that is visible on the [pipeline graph](../pipelines/multi_project_pipelines.md#multi-project-pipeline-visualization).

For example:

```yaml
trigger_pipeline:
  stage: deploy
  script:
    - curl --request POST --form "token=$CI_JOB_TOKEN" --form ref=main "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/9/trigger/pipeline"
  rules:
    - if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG
```

If you use the `CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE` [predefined CI/CD variable](../variables/predefined_variables.md)
in a pipeline triggered this way, [the value is `pipeline` (not `triggered`)](../triggers/index.md#configure-cicd-jobs-to-run-in-triggered-pipelines).

## Download an artifact from a different pipeline **(PREMIUM)**

> `CI_JOB_TOKEN` for artifacts download with the API was [introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/2346) in GitLab 9.5.

You can use the `CI_JOB_TOKEN` to access artifacts from a job created by a previous
pipeline. You must specify which job you want to retrieve the artifacts from:

```yaml
build_submodule:
  stage: test
  script:
    - apt update && apt install -y unzip
    - curl --location --output artifacts.zip "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/jobs/artifacts/main/download?job=test&job_token=$CI_JOB_TOKEN"
    - unzip artifacts.zip
```

Read more about the [jobs artifacts API](../../api/job_artifacts.md#download-the-artifacts-archive).

## Troubleshooting

CI job token failures are usually shown as responses like `404 Not Found` or similar:

- Unauthorized Git clone:

  ```plaintext
  $ git clone https://gitlab-ci-token:$CI_JOB_TOKEN@gitlab.com/fabiopitino/test2.git

  Cloning into 'test2'...
  remote: The project you were looking for could not be found or you don't have permission to view it.
  fatal: repository 'https://gitlab-ci-token:[MASKED]@gitlab.com/<namespace>/<project>.git/' not found
  ```

- Unauthorized package download:

  ```plaintext
  $ wget --header="JOB-TOKEN: $CI_JOB_TOKEN" ${CI_API_V4_URL}/projects/1234/packages/generic/my_package/0.0.1/file.txt

  --2021-09-23 11:00:13--  https://gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/1234/packages/generic/my_package/0.0.1/file.txt
  Resolving gitlab.com (gitlab.com)... 172.65.251.78, 2606:4700:90:0:f22e:fbec:5bed:a9b9
  Connecting to gitlab.com (gitlab.com)|172.65.251.78|:443... connected.
  HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 404 Not Found
  2021-09-23 11:00:13 ERROR 404: Not Found.
  ```

- Unauthorized API request:

  ```plaintext
  $ curl --verbose --request POST --form "token=$CI_JOB_TOKEN" --form ref=master "https://gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/1234/trigger/pipeline"

  < HTTP/2 404
  < date: Thu, 23 Sep 2021 11:00:12 GMT
  {"message":"404 Not Found"}
  < content-type: application/json
  ```

While troubleshooting CI/CD job token authentication issues, be aware that:

- When the [CI/CD job token limit](#limit-gitlab-cicd-job-token-access) is enabled,
  and the job token is being used to access a different project:
  - The user that executes the job must be a member of the project that is being accessed.
  - The user must have the [permissions](../../user/permissions.md) to perform the action.
  - The target project must be [allowlisted for the job token scope limit](#configure-the-job-token-scope-limit).
- The CI job token becomes invalid if the job is no longer running, has been erased,
  or if the project is in the process of being deleted.