6 Threat Modeling Examples for DevSecOps

As organizations push the boundaries of innovation, the need to embed security into every layer of the development process has never been more pressing. DevSecOps—a practice that integrates security directly into the DevOps pipeline—has emerged as a critical approach to staying ahead of potential threats. Yet, the challenge is knowing how to weave security seamlessly into these complex, fast-moving environments.

By the end of this year, the predicted global cost of cybercrime will reach $9.5 trillion, with projections suggesting it will rise to $10.5 trillion by 2025. These numbers underscore the growing risks that accompany our increasingly digital world.

So, where does threat modeling fit into all this? Let’s dive into some practical examples.

Source: What is Threat Modeling? Methodologies, Types, and Steps

Understanding Threat Modeling in DevSecOps

Threat modeling isn’t just a checklist—it’s a fundamental approach that drives proactive security throughout the software development lifecycle. Threat modeling ensures that security measures evolve in tandem with development. 

Key Benefits of Threat Modeling in DevSecOps:

• Proactive Risk Identification: By predicting potential threats, teams can implement defenses before vulnerabilities get exploited. For instance, preventing common vulnerabilities like JavaScript injections can safeguard your applications from unauthorized access.
• Continuous Security Integration: Security becomes a seamless part of the development workflow rather than a bolt-on afterthought.
• Enhanced Collaboration: Engaging cross-functional teams ensures that every angle — from code integrity to operational security — is considered.

Threat Modeling Frameworks

Each threat modeling framework serves a different purpose and excels in specific areas. Here’s how you can apply them effectively in a DevSecOps context.

Source: Enhance Your Cybersecurity with STRIDE Threat Modeling

Example 1: STRIDE Model

The STRIDE model breaks down threats into six categories: Spoofing, Tampering, Repudiation, Information Disclosure, Denial of Service, and Elevation of Privilege. It’s particularly effective in identifying and addressing security risks during the development design and planning stages.

How to Apply STRIDE in DevSecOps:

• Spoofing: Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of security, especially for sensitive systems.
• Tampering: Use cryptographic hash functions to ensure data integrity, making it easier to detect unauthorized modifications.
• Information Disclosure: Protect sensitive data using encryption, and consider implementing data loss prevention (DLP) tools.

Example in Action: Suppose your team is developing a microservices architecture for financial transactions. Applying STRIDE during the design phase can help identify spoofing risks. 

Implementing mutual TLS (mTLS) between microservices ensures that each service verifies the identity of the other before any data exchange, significantly reducing the risk of an attacker slipping into the system.

Source: Threat Modeling

Example 2: DREAD Model

DREAD provides a structured approach to evaluating and prioritizing threats based on Damage potential, Reproducibility, Exploitability, Affected users, and Discoverability. Why is this beneficial? The DREAD model helps guide resource allocation by focusing on the most significant risks.

Steps to Implement DREAD:

1. Identify a Threat: Consider a potential SQL injection vulnerability.
2. Evaluate Each Factor: Assess the SQL injection risk:
   • Damage Potential: High, as it could lead to data breaches.
   • Reproducibility: Moderate, dependent on input sanitization.
   • Exploitability: High, if inputs are not properly sanitized.
   • Affected Users: Potentially all users of the system.
   • Discoverability: High, as such vulnerabilities are well-known.
3. Prioritize Response: Given the high damage potential and exploitability, prioritize implementing robust input validation and using prepared statements.

Example in Action: In a web application where user data is entered into forms if a SQL injection vulnerability is discovered, DREAD helps your team prioritize fixing the issue. 

Source: An example attack tree.

Example 3: Attack Trees

Attack Trees provide a hierarchical, visual representation of all the possible ways an attacker could compromise a system. Each tree branch represents a different strategy or method an attacker might use.

Building an Attack Tree:

• Root Node: Define the attacker’s primary goal (e.g., gaining unauthorized access to a server).
• Branches: Break down the goal into sub-goals (e.g., exploit a weak password or bypass network security).
• Leaves: Detail specific actions or vulnerabilities that could be exploited to achieve these sub-goals (e.g., use brute-force attacks or exploit unpatched software).

Example in Action: Imagine you’re securing a CI/CD pipeline that automates deployments. The root of your Attack Tree might be an attacker gaining access to your deployment server. Branches could include compromising the CI/CD tool, stealing credentials, or exploiting a vulnerability in the deployed application. 

By detailing each potential attack path, the team can prioritize securing the CI/CD tools with strong access controls, patching all components regularly, and using environment-specific secrets that are rotated frequently. 

Source: Introduction of PASTA Threat Modeling

Example 4: PASTA Model

The Process for Attack Simulation and Threat Analysis (PASTA) is a framework that emphasizes aligning security measures with business objectives. It’s a seven-step process that integrates technical and business perspectives, making it particularly valuable in environments where security priorities must be balanced with organizational goals.

Seven Steps of PASTA:

1. Define Business Objectives: Prioritize what’s critical—such as customer data integrity in an e-commerce platform.
2. Define the Technical Scope: Identify the components and assets that need protection.
3. Application Decomposition: Break down the application into its constituent parts.
4. Threat Analysis: Identify potential threats based on the previous steps.
5. Vulnerability Analysis: Determine where these threats could be realized.
6. Attack Simulation: Simulate attacks to see how they would unfold.
7. Risk Analysis & Mitigation: Assess the risk and plan mitigation strategies.

Example in Action: For an online retail platform, PASTA could simulate an attack where an attacker tries to exploit a vulnerability in the payment processing API. By running this simulation, the DevSecOps team might discover that the API lacks sufficient rate limiting, allowing the attacker to overwhelm the system with fraudulent transactions. 

Source: Threat Modeling Methodology: VAST

Example 5: VAST Model

VAST (Visual, Agile, and Simple Threat) is designed for large-scale environments, emphasizing simplicity and scalability. It integrates well into Agile workflows, making it ideal for organizations needing to continuously and collaboratively assess threats.

Key Features of VAST:

• Visual Modeling: Use diagrams to make threat modeling accessible to all team members, regardless of technical expertise.
• Agile Integration: Conduct threat assessments during each sprint, ensuring that security is constantly considered.
• Scalability: Apply VAST across multiple projects and teams while maintaining consistency and depth.

Example in Action: In a company with multiple Agile teams working on interconnected microservices, VAST allows each team to model threats relevant to their specific service during every sprint. For example, one team might focus on securing the communication between microservices, using VAST to visualize and address potential IoT protocol security issues. 

Source: Presented improvements to the LINDDUN framework

Example 6: LINDDUN Model

LINDDUN is focused on identifying and mitigating privacy threats, making it indispensable in projects where data privacy is paramount. Each component of LINDDUN—Linkability, Identifiability, Non-repudiation, Detectability, Disclosure of Information, Unawareness, and Non-compliance—addresses different aspects of privacy risk.

Applying LINDDUN:

• Linkability: Evaluate how data from different sources might be linked to reveal personal information.
• Identifiability: Assess whether the data can uniquely identify individuals.
• Disclosure of Information: Ensure data is encrypted and access-controlled to prevent unauthorized disclosure.

Example in Action: Consider a healthcare application that manages patient records. Using LINDDUN, the DevSecOps team might identify that certain data elements—like patient IDs—could be linked to other datasets, potentially compromising patient privacy. 

To mitigate this, the team implemented strong encryption and data discovery tools to ensure that even if data is intercepted, it cannot be traced back to individual patients.

Threat Modeling Frameworks and Where They Sit in the Pipeline

To effectively implement threat modeling, it’s essential to understand where each framework fits within the DevSecOps pipeline. Below is a table that categorizes the frameworks discussed above and provides examples of where they can be applied:

Framework	Pipeline Stage	Example of Application
STRIDE	Design and Planning	Identifying spoofing risks in a microservices architecture.
DREAD	Risk Assessment	Prioritizing SQL injection vulnerabilities based on severity.
Attack Trees	Development and Deployment	Mapping potential attack vectors in a CI/CD pipeline.
PASTA	Business Alignment	Simulating API attacks to protect payment processing systems.
VAST	Continuous Integration	Assessing security threats in microservices during each sprint.
LINDDUN	Data Privacy Compliance	Protecting patient data privacy in a healthcare application.

Best Practices and Tools for Implementing Threat Modeling in DevSecOps

To effectively integrate threat modeling into your DevSecOps culture, consider these essential practices and tools:

1. Integrate Early and Often: Start threat modeling in the design phase and continue throughout development. Tools like OWASP Threat Dragon and Microsoft Threat Modeling Tool help visualize and document threats, facilitating early mitigation.
2. Foster a Security-First Culture: Engage cross-functional teams to ensure shared responsibility for security. DevSecOps principles can guide security integration throughout the development lifecycle, making it a core component of the organization’s culture.
3. Leverage Automation: Utilize automated tools like Spectral to streamline threat modeling efforts, ensuring consistent assessments and detailed risk management. Additionally, incorporating IT process automation can further enhance efficiency and reduce the burden on your team.
4. Document and Share Insights: Use tools such as OWASP Threat Dragon and Spectral to maintain clear records of threat modeling activities. Doing so enhances decision-making and strengthens your organization’s overall security posture, helping you avoid pitfalls like SaaS data security risks.

By integrating these practices with the right tools, threat modeling becomes a seamless part of your DevSecOps pipeline, supporting continuous improvement and adaptability.

Securing Your DevSecOps Pipeline: The Final Step

Incorporating threat modeling into your DevSecOps practices is essential for maintaining a robust security posture in today’s increasingly complex digital environments. By understanding and applying frameworks like STRIDE, DREAD, and LINDDUN, teams can proactively address potential threats before they escalate. 

As you refine your threat modeling processes, consider leveraging tools to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Spectral offers powerful capabilities to automate and integrate threat modeling within your existing CI/CD pipelines, helping you avoid potential risks.Ready to take your DevSecOps security to the next level? Explore what Spectral can do for your team.