Threat Modeling
In cybersecurity, threat modeling is a structured process for identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing potential threats to a system or application. It involves identifying potential threats, assessing their likelihood and impact, and developing mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of those threats being realized.
Threat modeling is a proactive approach to security that helps organizations to:
Identify potential threats: By systematically analyzing a system or application, organizations can identify likely threats they may not have otherwise considered.
Assess the likelihood and impact of threats: By considering each threat's likelihood and potential impact, organizations can prioritize their security efforts and focus on the most critical risks.
Develop mitigation strategies: By developing and implementing mitigation strategies, organizations can reduce the risk of threats being realized.
Threat modeling can be applied to various systems and applications, including software, hardware, networks, and data. It is an iterative process that should be conducted throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and regularly reviewed and updated as new threats emerge.
There are various threat modeling methodologies, including:
STRIDE: Spoofing, Tampering, Repudiation, Information Disclosure, Denial of Service, Elevation of Privilege.
DREAD: Damage, Reproducibility, Exploitability, Affected Users, Discoverability.
PASTA: Process for Attack Simulation and Threat Analysis.
OCTAVE: Operationally Critical Threat, Asset, and Vulnerability Evaluation.
Threat modeling is an essential part of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. By proactively identifying and mitigating potential threats, organizations can reduce their risk of cyberattacks and protect their critical assets.
ThreatNG can be a valuable tool for organizations looking to implement threat modeling. Here's how ThreatNG can help, based on the details provided in the description:
External Discovery
ThreatNG's external discovery engine can be used to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities that should be considered during threat modeling:
Domain Intelligence: ThreatNG analyzes domain names, DNS records, and associated information to identify potential weaknesses attackers could exploit.
Subdomain Intelligence: ThreatNG discovers and analyzes subdomains, which can often be overlooked during security assessments and may contain vulnerabilities that attackers could exploit.
Cloud and SaaS Exposure: ThreatNG identifies cloud services and SaaS applications used by the organization, which should be included in the threat modeling process.
Technology Stack: ThreatNG identifies the organization's technologies, which can help identify potential threats and vulnerabilities associated with specific technologies.
External Assessment
ThreatNG's external assessment capabilities can help assess the likelihood and impact of potential threats:
Web Application Hijack Susceptibility: ThreatNG assesses the likelihood of hijacking web applications, which could lead to data breaches or other attacks.
Subdomain Takeover Susceptibility: ThreatNG assesses the likelihood of subdomains being taken over, which could be used to host phishing pages or malware.
Data Leak Susceptibility: ThreatNG assesses the likelihood of data leaks, which could expose sensitive information to attackers.
Investigation Modules
ThreatNG's investigation modules provide deeper insights that can be used to inform threat modeling:
Domain Intelligence: This module provides detailed information about domain names, DNS records, and associated information, which can be used to identify potential attack vectors.
Example: ThreatNG can identify if a domain's DNS records are misconfigured, which could allow attackers to redirect users to malicious websites.
Subdomain Intelligence: This module provides detailed information about subdomains, including their content and associated technologies, which can be used to identify potential vulnerabilities.
Example: ThreatNG can identify if a subdomain is hosting an outdated web application version, which could be vulnerable to known exploits.
Sensitive Code Exposure: This module analyzes code repositories to identify exposed credentials, API keys, or other sensitive information that attackers could exploit.
Example: ThreatNG can identify if API keys or database credentials are hardcoded in a public code repository, which could allow attackers to access sensitive data.
Intelligence Repositories
ThreatNG's intelligence repositories provide valuable context for threat modeling:
Dark Web: This repository contains information about leaked data, compromised credentials, and other sensitive information found on the dark web, which can be used to identify potential threats to the organization.
Known Vulnerabilities: This repository contains information about known vulnerabilities in various systems and applications, which can be used to identify potential attack vectors.
Continuous Monitoring
ThreatNG monitors the organization's external attack surface for new threats and vulnerabilities. This information can be used to update threat models and ensure they remain relevant.
Reporting
ThreatNG generates detailed reports on potential threats and vulnerabilities, which can be used to inform threat modeling and prioritize mitigation efforts.
Working with Complementary Solutions
ThreatNG can integrate with other security solutions to enhance threat modeling:
Threat Modeling Tools: ThreatNG can integrate with threat modeling tools to provide additional context and intelligence, helping security professionals create more comprehensive threat models.
Vulnerability Scanners: ThreatNG can integrate with vulnerability scanners to provide a more comprehensive view of the organization's security posture and identify vulnerabilities that attackers could exploit.
Examples of ThreatNG Helping
A company uses ThreatNG to identify a subdomain that is hosting an outdated version of a web application. They include this subdomain in their threat model and develop mitigation strategies to protect it from attack.
An organization uses ThreatNG to identify exposed credentials on the dark web. They use this information to update their threat model and implement additional security controls to protect against account takeover attacks.
Key Takeaway
ThreatNG can be a valuable tool for organizations looking to implement threat modeling. By proactively identifying threats and vulnerabilities, providing detailed intelligence, and working with complementary solutions, ThreatNG can help organizations strengthen their security posture and reduce the risk of successful cyberattacks.
