Step 1: Define Objectives
- Â Identify your security goals aligned with business priorities
- Â Document compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR)
Step 2: Define Technical Scope
- Â List system components & technologies used (frontend, backend, databases)
- Â Define boundaries of the application and external dependencies
Step 3: Application Decomposition
- Â Break down app into modules/components
- Â Map data flows between components and external systems
- Â Identify trust boundaries and data entry/exit points
Step 4: Threat Analysis
- Â Identify potential threats per component using frameworks like STRIDE or MITRE ATT&CK
- Â Gather relevant threat intelligence specific to your domain
Step 5: Weakness Analysis
- Â Detect existing vulnerabilities: software bugs, insecure configurations, missing controls
Step 6: Attack Modeling and Simulation
- Â Create realistic attack scenarios targeting identified weaknesses
- Â Assess attacker goals, capabilities, and steps to exploit vulnerabilities
Step 7: Risk Analysis & Management
- Â Evaluate risk based on likelihood and impact
- Â Prioritize risks and develop mitigation plans
- Â Assign ownership and timelines for mitigation actions
Step 8: Documentation & Review
- Â Document all findings, decisions, and plans
- Â Schedule regular reviews and updates of threat models
Simple Threat Modeling Template (Example for SecureShop)
| Section | Details |
|---|---|
| Application Name | SecureShop (Fictional E-commerce Platform) |
| Security Objectives | Protect customer data, ensure high availability, PCI-DSS compliance |
| Technical Scope | React.js frontend, Node.js API, PostgreSQL DB, AWS hosting, Stripe API integration |
| Main Components | User Auth, Product Catalog, Shopping Cart, Payment Processing, Order Management |
| Key Data Flows | User credentials → Auth server → DB, Payment info → Stripe API, Order data → DB |
| Identified Threats (STRIDE or PASTA) | Credential stuffing (Spoofing), Man-in-the-middle (Information Disclosure), SQL Injection (Tampering) |
| Known Vulnerabilities | No rate limiting on login, incomplete input validation, exposed DB network |
| Attack Scenarios | Credential stuffing → Account takeover → Data theft |
| Risk Assessment | High risk: Credential stuffing; Medium risk: SQL Injection |
| Mitigation Strategies | MFA, rate limiting, input validation, DB network segmentation |
| Action Plan | Implement MFA by Q4, add rate limiting immediately, code audit scheduled quarterly |
| Review Date | [Insert Date] |
Feel free to customize these tools to fit your application and team workflows. Use this checklist and template consistently to keep your threat modeling process thorough and effective.
