3.3 Threat Modelling

Threat modelling is a systematic approach to identifying, analysing, and mitigating potential security threats within a system, application, or process. It facilitates proactive security planning by helping organisations visualise potential attack paths, assess vulnerabilities, and develop defensive countermeasures before systems are deployed or compromised. By simulating adversarial thinking, threat modelling supports the early identification of risks and aligns security controls with operational priorities.

The central objective of threat modelling is to enable informed risk management through structured analysis of how systems can be attacked, what adversaries might target, and which vulnerabilities are most critical. It serves both developmental and operational contexts and is essential to modern security engineering, security operations, and cyber threat intelligence.

Core Steps in Threat Modelling #

Effective threat modelling is typically conducted through a series of iterative and structured steps:

1. Define the System or Application #

This step involves delineating the boundaries, architecture, components, and data flows of the system under review. It often includes the creation of visual representations such as data flow diagrams (DFDs), architectural schematics, and trust boundary maps to clarify how data and control signals move through the system.

2. Identify Assets #

Asset identification entails determining the system’s valuable components, which may include sensitive data, core services, intellectual property, user credentials, and brand reputation. The protection of these assets becomes the focal point of subsequent threat identification and mitigation efforts.

3. Identify Threats #

Threat identification is informed by structured methodologies and the consideration of a variety of threat actors and their motivations. Common threat identification techniques include: