diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-target-branch.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-target-branch.yml
index 9a67f93b81a73..d13e1a810fbc6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr-target-branch.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-target-branch.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ on:
       - synchronize
       - edited
 
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
 jobs:
   check-target-master:
     name: master
diff --git a/.github/workflows/readme-linter.yml b/.github/workflows/readme-linter.yml
index a24d30314670d..84fd18b47051d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/readme-linter.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/readme-linter.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     branches: # Names of target branches, not source branches
       - master
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
 jobs:
   run-readme-linter:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/semantic.yml b/.github/workflows/semantic.yml
index ea869d99b4c54..03c011b2dab03 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/semantic.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/semantic.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ on:
     branches:
       - master
 
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
 jobs:
   semantic:
     uses: influxdata/validate-semantic-github-messages/.github/workflows/semantic.yml@main