PASTA Threat Modeling Application

Executive Summary

This application facilitates threat modeling using the PASTA (Process for Attack Simulation and Threat Analysis) methodology. It guides security teams through defining business objectives, scoping technical assets, decomposing applications, analyzing threats and vulnerabilities, modeling attacks, and assessing risks. Results are stored in a dynamic threat table, importable and exportable to Excel, with an Action Log to track activities, ensuring a risk-centric approach to securing systems.

1. Define Business Objectives

Align threat modeling with business goals.

• Identify critical business objectives (e.g., protect customer data, ensure service uptime).
• Determine compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR, PCI-DSS).
• Document objectives to prioritize assets and risks.

2. Define Technical Scope

Identify systems and components in scope.

• List assets (e.g., servers, databases, APIs).
• Include third-party services and dependencies.
• Document scope in the form below.

3. Application Decomposition

Break down the application into components.

• Map data flows, trust boundaries, and entry points.
• Identify components (e.g., frontend, backend, storage).
• Note interactions with external systems.

4. Threat Analysis

Identify potential threats to the system.

• Use threat intelligence (e.g., known attack patterns).
• Consider threat actors (e.g., hackers, insiders).
• Document threats in the form below.

5. Vulnerability Analysis

Identify vulnerabilities that threats could exploit.

• Review components for weaknesses (e.g., unpatched software, weak authentication).
• Correlate vulnerabilities with threats.
• Document vulnerabilities in the form below.

6. Attack Modeling

Model how threats exploit vulnerabilities.

• Define attack vectors (e.g., SQL injection, phishing).
• Create attack trees or scenarios.
• Document attack vectors in the form below.

7. Risk and Impact Analysis

Assess risks and propose mitigations.

• Assign Risk Level (Low/Medium/High) based on likelihood and impact.
• Propose mitigations (e.g., encryption, access controls).
• Document risks and mitigations in the form below.

Notify Stakeholders

• Coordinate with teams for mitigation implementation.
• Use a professional tone and log communications. Example:
  Subject: PASTA Threat Modeling Coordination Request Dear [Stakeholder Contact], We are conducting a PASTA-based threat modeling exercise and have identified a threat to [asset], involving [threat description, e.g., data breach via SQL injection]. The risk level is [Low/Medium/High], with potential impacts including [impact description]. Proposed mitigations include: - [e.g., Input sanitization] - [e.g., Regular security audits] Please confirm these actions or suggest alternatives by [deadline]. Contact us for further details. Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Organization] [Contact Information]
  Copy to Clipboard
• Log notifications in the Action Log below.

PASTA Threat Modeling Form

Threat Table