diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index 073c073c5508..debe26a5b146 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ on:
 env:
   GOPATH: ${{ github.workspace }}/go
 
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
 jobs:
   test-and-verify:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr.yaml b/.github/workflows/pr.yaml
index 3fca2de3323a..c201c47f5a2b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
 jobs:
   changes:
+    permissions:
+      contents: read  # for dorny/paths-filter to fetch a list of changed files
+      pull-requests: read  # for dorny/paths-filter to read pull requests
     outputs:
       charts: ${{ steps.filter.outputs.charts }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 15fa1c251978..4b7ff78a43af 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
 jobs:
   release:
+    permissions:
+      contents: write  # for helm/chart-releaser-action to push chart release and create a release
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Checkout