2.2 The steps within a threat model

General Steps in Threat Modeling

Decompose and Diagram

Think of this as drawing a map of your castle, showing all the rooms, secret passages, and walls. You mark where the treasure is, how people get in and out, and where the castle connects to the outside world. This step helps you understand all the parts of your system and how they work together, which is important for knowing where attacks might happen.

Identify Common Threats and Vulnerabilities

Now, imagine you're trying to think like a villain who wants to attack your castle. You look at your map and try to find weak spots or places where an enemy could sneak in. This stage is about figuring out what kind of attacks are most likely and where your system (or castle) is weakest.

Mitigate and Counter

This is where you start planning your defenses. Based on where you think attacks could happen, you decide what kind of guards you need, where to put walls or traps, and how to keep your treasures safe. It's about making a plan to protect against the threats you've identified.

LINDDUN Steps

Creating a Data Flow Diagram: This is like mapping out how messages, orders, and news travel around your castle and to allies' castles. It shows where information goes and how it gets there.

Mapping Threats: For every path information takes, you think about what could go wrong. Could a messenger be intercepted? Could a pigeon carrying a message be shot down?

Identifying Privacy Threats: Using a special kind of map (threat trees), you look for ways spies could learn secrets they shouldn't know.

Prioritizing Threats: Decide which secrets would be worst to lose and protect those first.

Developing Strategies: Plan specific ways to keep each secret safe, like using code words or secret tunnels.

Choosing Tools: Pick the best tools for the job, like the strongest locks for your treasure room or the fastest horses for your messengers.

hTMM Steps

System Identification: Agree on what part of your kingdom you're defending. What's the goal? Gather all the information you need to protect it.

Using Security Cards: Like playing a strategy game with cards that help you think about who might attack you, where, and why.

Eliminating Unlikely Threats: Decide which enemies aren't a big concern and focus on the real dangers.

Summarizing Results: Use tools (like maps or reports from spies) to keep track of what you've learned.

Formal Risk Assessment: Look at all the evidence and decide how big each risk is, like deciding whether to worry more about dragons or about thieves.

PASTA Steps

Define Objectives: Decide what you're defending against, like stopping spies from overhearing your plans.

Technical Scope: Figure out exactly what needs protection. Is it the treasure room, the armory, or the royal archives?

Application Decomposition: Break down your defenses to see where you might be vulnerable, like checking the castle walls for weak spots.

Threat Analysis: Use information from scouts and spies to figure out what attacks are most likely.

Identifying Vulnerabilities: Look closely to find where your castle is weakest.

Attack Simulation: Practice battles or drills to see how well your defenses hold up.

Risk Analysis and Countermeasures: Write a report on what risks you face and how you plan to stop them, like a battle plan for defending the castle.

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