Agents without a PAT

Trying to auto-update repositories with GitHub Agentic Workflows, but the authentication method is a blocker.

The setup wants a central repository's workflow connected to multiple target repositories to perform upgrades, and even run retries on failure, but using a PAT creates security risk and cost attribution problems.

A GitHub App was also considered, but according to comments, the moment Copilot is used in a workflow a token is needed, and this may currently be a platform constraint.

Practical directions from the comments are as follows.

• GitHub App + installation token route: create a JWT first, then exchange it for a per-repository installation token
• Hiding the PAT with an MCP tool: wrapping it so the model never sees the PAT directly, and adding rate limits or retry caps to reduce misuse
• OIDC-based identity federation: an alternative that reduces token dependence, extending even to the Copilot side
• Using a tool like Finopsly to supplement cost attribution for agent workloads

The core issue is not simple auth, but the fact that personal-account-based PATs break cost tracking.