Threat Modeling & Risk Design
Identifying structural software architecture flaws during design before a single line of code is written.
Last reviewed by Rhitik Kumar, Lead Offensive Security Engineer.
Scope of Assessment
We structure threat maps using STRIDE / PASTA methodologies. We analyze component integrations, map trust boundaries, and design security policies to block design flaws early.
Engagement Details
How the engagement runs
- 01
System decomposition
We work through your architecture with the engineers who built it, producing data flow diagrams that show components, stores, external entities and the trust boundaries between them.
- 02
Threat identification
Each element and flow is walked against STRIDE — spoofing, tampering, repudiation, information disclosure, denial of service, elevation of privilege — with PASTA used where a business-risk view is needed.
- 03
Risk rating and control design
Threats are rated by likelihood and impact, then matched to concrete controls: an authorisation check, an encryption boundary, an audit log, a segmentation change.
- 04
Handover
You get the diagrams, the threat register and a prioritised control list your team can work from — a living document, not a one-off PDF.
What you receive
- Data flow diagrams with trust boundaries marked
- Threat register rated by likelihood and impact
- Prioritised control recommendations tied to specific threats
- Security requirements ready to drop into your backlog
- Working session with your engineering team
Frequently Asked Questions
When should threat modeling start?
Ideally during the architecture design phase, before active coding starts, to avoid high-cost refactoring later.
Can you model a system that is already live?
Yes. Existing systems benefit as much as new ones — the difference is that some controls become refactors rather than design decisions.
Who needs to be in the room?
An architect or lead engineer who knows the real system, and ideally someone who understands the business impact of each data store. Two to four people is usually right.
How long does it take?
Most systems need two to three working sessions plus analysis time. Larger platforms are split by domain and modelled in sequence.
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