A Review of Asset-Centric Threat Modelling Approaches

Livinus Obiora Nweke,Stephen D

doi:10.14569/ijacsa.2020.0110201

Abstract

The threat landscape is constantly evolving. As attackers continue to evolve and seek better methods of compro-mising a system; in the same way, defenders continue to evolve and seek better methods of protecting a system. Threats are events that could cause harm to the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of information systems, through unauthorized disclosure, misuse, alteration, or destruction of information or information system. The process of developing and applying a representation of those threats, to understand the possibility of the threats being realized is referred to as threat modelling. Threat modelling approaches provide defenders with a tool to characterize potential threats systematically. They include the prioritization of threats and mitigation based on probabilities of the threats being realized, the business impacts and the cost of countermeasures. In this paper, we provide a review of asset-centric threat modelling approaches. These are threat modelling techniques that focus on the assets of the system being threat modelled. First, we discuss the most widely used asset-centric threat modelling approaches. Then, we present a gap analysis of these methods. Finally, we examine the features of asset-centric threat modelling approaches with a discussion on their similarities and differences.

Highlights

Threats are events that could cause harm to the confidentiality, integrity, or availability (CIA model [1]) of information systems, through unauthorized disclosure, misuse, alteration, or destruction of information or information system [2]
Asset-centric threat modelling approaches have shown to be effective for the protection of assets, understanding and managing business risks
We have reviewed the state-of-the-art in asset-centric threat modelling approaches

Summary

Introduction

Threats are events that could cause harm to the confidentiality, integrity, or availability (CIA model [1]) of information systems, through unauthorized disclosure, misuse, alteration, or destruction of information or information system [2]. The process of developing and applying a representation of those threats, to understand the possibility of the threats being realized is referred to as threat modelling. Threat modelling is a systematic approach for characterizing potential threats to a system It ensures completeness by including the prioritization of threats and mitigation based on probabilities, business impacts and cost of countermeasures. Threat modelling provides a means of evaluating all possible risks throughout the system and not just concentrating on where flaws are expected to be discovered [6]. It is useful in ranking the likelihood of a threat being realized. An essential step for threat modelling is having an understanding of assets and threats [4]

Objectives

Discussion

Conclusion