feat: Allow ${{ needs.JOB.outputs.OUTPUT }} expressions in github-token fields

pkg/parser/schemas/main_workflow_schema.json

@@ -9657,9 +9657,9 @@
     },
     "github_token": {
       "type": "string",
-      "pattern": "^\\$\\{\\{\\s*secrets\\.[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*(\\s*\\|\\|\\s*secrets\\.[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*)*\\s*\\}\\}$",
-      "description": "GitHub token expression using secrets. Pattern details: `[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*` matches a valid secret name (starts with a letter or underscore, followed by letters, digits, or underscores). The full pattern matches expressions like `${{ secrets.NAME }}` or `${{ secrets.NAME1 || secrets.NAME2 }}`.",
-      "examples": ["${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}", "${{ secrets.CUSTOM_PAT }}", "${{ secrets.GH_AW_GITHUB_TOKEN || secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}"]
+      "pattern": "^\\$\\{\\{\\s*(secrets\\.[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*(\\s*\\|\\|\\s*secrets\\.[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*)*|needs\\.[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*\\.outputs\\.[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*)\\s*\\}\\}$",
+      "description": "GitHub token expression. Accepts a secrets expression (e.g., `${{ secrets.NAME }}` or `${{ secrets.NAME1 || secrets.NAME2 }}`) or a job output expression (e.g., `${{ needs.auth.outputs.token }}`). Pattern details: secret names match `[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*`; job IDs and output names in dot notation match `[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*` (identifiers without hyphens).",
+      "examples": ["${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}", "${{ secrets.CUSTOM_PAT }}", "${{ secrets.GH_AW_GITHUB_TOKEN || secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}", "${{ needs.auth.outputs.token }}"]
     },
     "github_app": {
       "type": "object",

pkg/workflow/github_token_validation_test.go

@@ -54,6 +54,17 @@ func TestGitHubTokenValidation(t *testing.T) {
 			token:       "${{ secrets.TOKEN1 || secrets.TOKEN2 }}",
 			expectError: false,
 		},
+		// Valid cases - job output expressions
+		{
+			name:        "valid job output expression - needs.auth.outputs.token",
+			token:       "${{ needs.auth.outputs.token }}",
+			expectError: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "valid job output expression - with spaces",
+			token:       "${{  needs.auth.outputs.token  }}",
+			expectError: false,
+		},
 		// Invalid cases - plaintext secrets
 		{
 			name:        "invalid - plaintext GitHub PAT",
@@ -158,6 +169,11 @@ func TestGitHubTokenValidationInSafeOutputs(t *testing.T) {
 			token:       "${{ secrets.SAFE_OUTPUTS_PAT }}",
 			expectError: false,
 		},
+		{
+			name:        "valid job output token in safe-outputs",
+			token:       "${{ needs.auth.outputs.token }}",
+			expectError: false,
+		},
 		{
 			name:        "invalid token in safe-outputs",
 			token:       "ghp_plaintext_token",
@@ -215,6 +231,11 @@ func TestGitHubTokenValidationInIndividualSafeOutput(t *testing.T) {
 			token:       "${{ secrets.INDIVIDUAL_PAT }}",
 			expectError: false,
 		},
+		{
+			name:        "valid job output token in individual safe-output",
+			token:       "${{ needs.auth.outputs.token }}",
+			expectError: false,
+		},
 		{
 			name:        "invalid token in individual safe-output",
 			token:       "github_pat_plaintext",
@@ -272,6 +293,11 @@ func TestGitHubTokenValidationInGitHubTool(t *testing.T) {
 			token:       "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOOL_PAT }}",
 			expectError: false,
 		},
+		{
+			name:        "valid job output token in github tool",
+			token:       "${{ needs.auth.outputs.token }}",
+			expectError: false,
+		},
 		{
 			name:        "invalid token in github tool",
 			token:       "plaintext_secret",

specs/security-architecture-spec.md

@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ The output isolation layer enforces separation between AI agent operations (read
 3. Workflow-level token
 4. Default token
 
-**OI-10**: Tokens MUST be GitHub Actions secret expressions (e.g., `${{ secrets.TOKEN_NAME }}`). Plaintext tokens MUST cause compilation failure.
+**OI-10**: Tokens MUST be GitHub Actions expressions referencing secrets or job outputs (e.g., `${{ secrets.TOKEN_NAME }}` or `${{ needs.auth.outputs.token }}`). Plaintext tokens MUST cause compilation failure.
 
 ### 5.6 Output Isolation Guarantees
 
@@ -621,13 +621,14 @@ roles: all                         # Least restrictive
 
 ### 7.7 Token Validation
 
-**PM-13**: The implementation MUST validate that `github-token` fields contain GitHub Actions secret expressions.
+**PM-13**: The implementation MUST validate that `github-token` fields contain GitHub Actions expressions referencing secrets or job outputs.
 
 **PM-14**: Plaintext tokens or environment variables MUST cause compilation failure.
 
 **PM-15**: Valid token formats:
 - `${{ secrets.TOKEN_NAME }}`
 - `${{ secrets.ORG_TOKEN || secrets.FALLBACK_TOKEN }}`
+- `${{ needs.auth.outputs.token }}`
 
 ---