Threat Modeling Program

So you want to develop a threat modeling program?
This will be your starting guide to developing a threat modeling program for your organization.

Introduction

Developing a threat modeling program is crucial for identifying, assessing, and mitigating security risks in an organization’s systems and applications. Below are the steps to build an effective threat modeling program:

1. Define Objectives and Scope

Identify what you want to protect (e.g., applications, systems, data).
Define the security goals (e.g., confidentiality, integrity, availability).
Establish boundaries (e.g., which assets, teams, or projects are included).

2. Assemble a Cross-Functional Team

Include security experts, developers, architects, and operations staff.
Ensure participation from different stakeholders (e.g., business, compliance).
Assign roles and responsibilities for maintaining the program.

3. Select a Threat Modeling Methodology

Choose an approach that fits your organization’s needs, such as:
STRIDE (Spoofing, Tampering, Repudiation, Information Disclosure, Denial of Service, Elevation of Privilege)
PASTA (Process for Attack Simulation and Threat Analysis)
DREAD (Damage, Reproducibility, Exploitability, Affected Users, Discoverability)
Attack Trees (Graphical representation of attack paths)

4. Develop a Threat Modeling Framework

Define a structured process for conducting threat models.
Ensure it integrates with your Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
Establish templates and documentation guidelines.

5. Identify and Categorize Assets

List critical assets (e.g., databases, applications, APIs, cloud services).
Identify data flows and interactions between components.
Use data flow diagrams (DFDs) or system architecture diagrams.

6. Identify Threats and Vulnerabilities

Use the chosen methodology (e.g., STRIDE) to analyze risks.
Perform risk assessments and impact analysis.
Leverage security tools and threat intelligence sources.

7. Prioritize and Mitigate Risks

Rank threats based on likelihood and impact.
Define security controls (e.g., encryption, authentication, monitoring).
Implement security best practices (e.g., least privilege, input validation).

8. Integrate Threat Modeling into Development Processes

Make it a standard practice in agile/sprint planning.
Use automation tools for continuous threat modeling.
Ensure security reviews at multiple stages of the SDLC.

9. Train and Educate Teams

Conduct training sessions for developers and architects.
Develop playbooks or guidelines for performing threat modeling.
Promote a security-first culture.

10. Continuously Improve and Evolve

Regularly review and update threat models.
Incorporate lessons from security incidents and red team exercises.
Gather feedback and refine processes based on evolving threats.

References:

Industry Standards & Frameworks
Microsoft Threat Modeling Tool & STRIDE Framework
Microsoft Threat Modeling Tool
STRIDE Framework (Microsoft’s approach to categorizing threats)

OWASP Threat Modeling Resources
OWASP Threat Modeling
Covers methodologies, best practices, and community-driven resources.

NIST Special Publications
NIST SP 800-30: Guide for Conducting Risk Assessments
NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF): Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity

MITRE ATT&CK Framework
MITRE ATT&CK
A knowledge base of cyber adversary tactics and techniques.

https://github.com/bvoris/mitreattackthreatmodeling


Books on Threat Modeling
Threat Modeling: Designing for Security – Adam Shostack (2014)
One of the most widely referenced books on threat modeling.

The Security Development Lifecycle (SDL) – Michael Howard & Steve Lipner
Discusses integrating security into the software development lifecycle.

Academic & Research Papers
A Taxonomy of Cyber Threat Modeling Methodologies (2018) – MITRE
MITRE Cyber Threat Modeling Research

Threat Modeling Manifesto (2020)
Threat Modeling Manifesto – A community-driven initiative defining core values and principles.
https://www.threatmodelingmanifesto.org/

Open-Source & Commercial Threat Modeling Tools
Microsoft Threat Modeling Tool – Download
OWASP Threat Dragon (open-source) – GitHub
IriusRisk (commercial tool for automated threat modeling) – IriusRisk

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