It can be highly challenging to design and develop a secure system. The threat modeling provides a viable approach to fortifying the security of a residential system. It entails looking at a system from a conceivable attacker’s perspective, as opposed to a defender’s perspective, making it a critical factor in enhancing security (Tankard, 2022). People may approach threat modeling differently, but it can generally be decomposed into five high-level steps. The steps under the model are documented and implemented as an ultimate threat model for the application in the residential system.
Step 1: Identify security objectives
The threat modeling process first begins by having a clear comprehension of the residential security system requirements and the identification of the probable threats. In a residential place, the dwellers may be primarily concerned about the safety of their homes and possessions (Tankard, 2022). Therefore, the objective of the system would be:
- To secure the possessions within the residence from the threat of fire or theft.
- To secure the residence against nonessential access from people.
- To protect information contained in different devices in the residence that could be private and confidential by ensuring people with ill intentions cannot log into the computers, mobile phones, and other devices.
Step 2: Identify assets and external dependencies
Threats principally occur because unwarranted parties may have access to assets within the residential area. That’s why the threat modeling approach calls for identifying a list of assets to be safeguarded from possible attacks (Viswanathan & Jayagopal, 2021). The list of assets within a residential area includes:
- Computer and mobile devices.
- Various electronic devices (including television sets, cookers, microwaves, and gaming consoles).
- Other individual possessions (such as bicycle, motorbike, car, firearms, furniture, jewelry, and equipment for repairs and exercise).
Additionally, it is vital that the external dependencies that may not be part of the code but may present a risk to the system be identified. The primary focus should be access to the internet server, database communication within a private or public network, and access to the neighborhood.
Step 3: Identify trust zones
The documentation of the trust zone and matching entry-exit points can help to create data flow diagrams with defined peripheries. This helps formulate the approach to handling errors, user authentication, and input data verification (Tankard, 2022). In the residential unit, true zones are defined as safes for keeping sensitive files, firearms, and cash. There could also be a locked office or room where computers and essential gadgets are kept.
Step 4: Identify potential threats and vulnerabilities
Some general threats and vulnerabilities can impinge on the security system in a residential area. These may include standard doorways, windows, and doors that can be broken into, sharing of internet access, weak password policies, custom encryption, security cameras, and electronic locks.
Step 5: Document threat model
The final step involves documenting the defined threat model, which is a critical component of the team’s responsibilities in designing a secure system. Establishing the threat model in the residential area provides a security tactic to mitigate security risks and find weaknesses in the system to enhance safety and test the trust zones.
References
Tankard, C. (2022). The case for threat modelling. Network Security, 2022(6).
Viswanathan, G., & Jayagopal, P. (2021). A Threat Categorization of Risk-Based approach for analyzing Security Threats early phase in SDLC. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering.