How can a random user use GitHub's dedicated email address and notification system to send viruses and spam? Why is GitHub assisting in this?

[rozsazoltan]

Important

Please improve security and disable these actions, as we have previously requested.

• https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/174585

🏷️ Discussion Type

Bug

Topic area

Profile

Body

How can a 2-week-old user harass us GitHub users? How can a random user harass anyone? How can a random user use GitHub's dedicated email address and notification system to send viruses and spam? Why is GitHub assisting in this?

Harassing notification	Harassing email	Newly created profile (but it could also be an older one)

Please improve security and disable these actions, as we have previously requested.

• https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/174585

Thank you,
... (again?)

[github-actions[bot]]

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[rozsazoltan]

This is a very old issue, and I don't see any plans to fix it.

[RuggMatt]

Same here: https://github.com/Whitechabarrier/VStudioUpdate-56371/discussions

[stevehansen]

Same here: Iconshorenew/VSCodeBuild-33412#8

[Dax89]

Same here: Calmbrastuff/VSRelease-65189#5
...and here: PurpleEmirPeace/UrgentRelease-05580#6

[riblee]

Same here: krakeniguanacorridor/VSCodeRelease-25841

[TheAwesomeGuy47]

pursuerjumperlook/VStudioUpdate-58682
Same here, random email telling me im an imbecile 🤣

[NabilMx99]

pursuerjumperlook/VStudioUpdate-58682 Same here, random email telling me im an imbecile 🤣

lmao

[RaavanHrishi07]

GitHub is not helping attackers intentionally. But like any large platform its notification system can be misused by scammers to send phishing or malware links. Recently, researchers confirmed this is happening in real campaigns.

[rozsazoltan]

This issue has been ongoing for years. We've reported it multiple times, and it continues to be disruptive. It seems that introducing a few stricter measures in the notification system wouldn't be very difficult - for example, removing links from emails if they appear suspicious. Similarly, implementing a profile setting where users can choose from whom they want to receive verified email notifications should not take long.

To be frank, it appears there are no plans for even minimal security improvements.

Given that this has persisted for such a long time, I would have expected at least some response - for example, a clear message saying "Sorry, we do not intend to provide protection; we will continue to handle problematic users afterward as before." That would at least clarify that GitHub may not be the right place for me, as my security and comfort do not seem to be a priority.

The question posed in the title is ironic, but in reality, whether GitHub wants to or not, it has been assisting the spread of spam for years.

[ritish404]

🔴 1. How attackers abuse GitHub notifications

GitHub has a built-in system that sends emails when:

someone mentions you (@username)
you’re watching a repo
you’re subscribed to issues / PRs

👉 Attackers exploit this workflow:

⚙️ The trick:
Create a fake repository or issue
Add malicious content (fake invoice, virus link, phone scam, etc.)
Mention or subscribe many users
GitHub sends legitimate emails to those users

So the email:

comes from GitHub (trusted domain)
passes spam filters
looks real

[rozsazoltan]

https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/190587#discussioncomment-16331838

[NabilMx99]

It happened to me again, this is the second time.

[WesselKroos]

Same here: /Flagdrareclaim/Unilabs-Open-23887

[santurak1]

Santurakifoundationfounder[Webmaster]•

[itxashancode]

GitHub does not provide a direct email-sending service, nor does it assist in spam or harassment. What you are experiencing is a known abuse pattern where malicious actors exploit GitHub’s notification relay system. The notifications@github.com address is strictly a system-generated, no-reply relay that forwards alerts based on your subscription rules. It cannot be used to send arbitrary or direct emails.

🔍 How This Abuse Works

Spammers and harassers typically:

1. Create new or compromised accounts
2. Post comments, issues, pull requests, or discussion replies containing malicious links or spam text
3. Use @username mentions, reply to your threads, or subscribe you to activity
4. Rely on GitHub’s notification engine to automatically generate an email/push alert

GitHub’s system triggers notifications based on activity, not sender intent. While GitHub runs automated rate-limiting, CAPTCHA, and abuse-detection systems, there is often a brief window before enforcement actions take effect.

🛡️ Immediate Actions You Can Take

For your personal account:

• Report the account: Visit the spammer’s profile → ••• → Report abuse → Select Spam or Harassment. GitHub Trust & Safety reviews these and suspends violating accounts.
• Block the user: Prevents them from mentioning you or interacting with your repositories.
• Adjust notifications: Settings → Notifications. Disable email for Mentions or switch to Web only. You can also configure custom routing to filter notification emails at your mail provider.

For repositories you maintain:

• Restrict interactions: Settings → General → Interactions → Limit interactions to existing users or Collaborators only.
• Enable Require approval for first-time contributors.
• Use automated moderation workflows to close/reject spam before notifications are widely delivered.

Example: Basic GitHub Actions workflow to auto-close issues containing known spam keywords:

name: Auto-moderate spam issues
on:
  issues:
    types: [opened]
jobs:
  filter:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/github-script@v7
        with:
          script: |
            const body = (context.payload.issue.body || '').toLowerCase();
            const spamTerms = ['whatsapp', 'telegram', 'crypto giveaway', 'cheap meds'];
            if (spamTerms.some(term => body.includes(term))) {
              await github.rest.issues.update({
                owner: context.repo.owner,
                repo: context.repo.repo,
                issue_number: context.payload.issue.number,
                state: 'closed',
                labels: ['spam']
              });
            }

Note: Tune keywords carefully to avoid false positives. Consider pairing with third-party moderation tools like GitHub Advanced Security or MentionBot for production use.

📚 Official Resources

• Reporting abuse or spam
• Managing notification settings
• Limiting interactions in your repository

GitHub continuously improves its detection pipelines, but the open nature of public repositories means determined actors will occasionally test boundaries. Consistent reporting, combined with repository-level interaction limits and notification filtering, remains the most effective defense. If abuse persists across multiple accounts, submit a detailed report via the Abuse form with repository URLs, timestamps, and notification headers for priority review.