Github branches overwritten. How to revert?

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Summary

The issue at hand is a critical loss of data in a GitHub repository due to a force push that overwritten all branches with a single file, effectively wiping out the previous code. The key challenge here is to recover the lost commits without local copies of the old commits.

Root Cause

The root cause of this issue can be attributed to several factors, including:

  • Unauthorized access to the repository, allowing someone to force push changes
  • Lack of branch permissions, enabling anyone with push access to force push to any branch
  • Insufficient backup, as there are no local copies of the old commits

Why This Happens in Real Systems

This issue can occur in real systems due to:

  • Human error, where a developer accidentally force pushes the wrong changes
  • Security breaches, where an unauthorized user gains access to the repository
  • Misconfigured repository settings, which can allow force pushes without proper authorization

Real-World Impact

The impact of such an incident can be severe, including:

  • Loss of intellectual property, as valuable code is overwritten and lost
  • Disruption of development, as the team needs to spend time recovering lost work
  • Damage to reputation, if the incident becomes public and is perceived as a sign of poor security or development practices

Example or Code (if necessary and relevant)

# Reflog can be used to find the commit hash before the force push
git reflog

# Once the commit hash is found, it can be used to reset the branch
git reset --hard 

# Alternatively, GitHub's support team can be contacted to restore the repository

How Senior Engineers Fix It

Senior engineers can fix this issue by:

  • Contacting GitHub support to request a restore of the repository to its previous state
  • Using reflog to find the commit hash before the force push and resetting the branch to that point
  • Implementing branch permissions to prevent unauthorized force pushes in the future
  • Setting up regular backups to prevent loss of data in case of similar incidents

Why Juniors Miss It

Junior engineers may miss this issue due to:

  • Lack of experience with Git and GitHub, leading to unfamiliarity with concepts like force push and reflog
  • Insufficient knowledge of repository settings and security best practices
  • Inadequate testing, which can lead to unintended changes being pushed to the repository
  • Poor communication, which can prevent issues from being addressed promptly and effectively