> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.stepsecurity.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.stepsecurity.io/github-actions/harden-runner/harden-runner-installation.md).
# Installation
There are three ways to install Harden-Runner depending on your environment:
1. ARC (Actions Runner Controller)
2. Self-Hosted VM
3. GitHub Hosted Custom VM
{% hint style="info" %}
All three environments also use StepSecurity runner job hooks, which apply Policy Store policies per job and publish the job security summary. See [Runner Job Hooks](/github-actions/harden-runner/harden-runner-installation/runner-job-hooks.md).
{% endhint %}
### ARC (Actions Runner Controller)
Actions Runner Controller (ARC) allows you to run GitHub Actions self-hosted runners at scale on Kubernetes.
Integrating Harden-Runner with ARC helps secure your runner fleet by enforcing outbound network policies, monitoring runtime behavior, and preventing supply chain attacks.
To configure an ARC cluster in StepSecurity, please follow the provided setup instructions. If the instructions have not been enabled in your account, please [contact us](https://www.stepsecurity.io/contact) for setup assistance.
### Self Hosted VM
Self-hosted options allow you to execute workflows on your own infrastructure rather than using GitHub-hosted environments. This provides greater control, security, and customization options for your CI/CD pipelines.
To configure an self-hosted runner in StepSecurity, please follow the provided setup instructions. If the instructions have not been enabled in your account, please [contact us](https://www.stepsecurity.io/contact) for setup assistance.
### GitHub Hosted Custom VM
GitHub Hosted Custom VMs allow you to run workflows on a managed virtual machine while still maintaining some configuration control. Installing Harden-Runner on these VMs adds an additional security layer that monitors and controls runtime behavior within ephemeral environments.
To configure a GitHub Hosted Custom VM in StepSecurity, please follow the provided setup instructions. If the instructions have not been enabled in your account, please [contact us](https://www.stepsecurity.io/contact) for setup assistance.
---
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