STRIDE-LM: A useful Tool for Cybersecurity Threat Modelling
In today's world, cybersecurity threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated and dangerous.
As a result, it is more important than ever for organizations to take a proactive approach to cybersecurity by finding potential vulnerabilities in their systems before they can be exploited by cybercriminals. One of the most effective ways to do this is through threat modelling, which involves showing potential threats and vulnerabilities in a system and implementing measures to mitigate them. STRIDE-LM, a model developed by Microsoft Research, is a useful tool that can aid in threat modelling by analysing systems and identifying potential security vulnerabilities.
What is STRIDE-LM?
In threat modelling, the goal is to identify potential security threats and vulnerabilities, and then develop strategies to mitigate them. This can involve analysing the system's architecture, identifying potential attack vectors, and assessing the risk of each potential threat.
To do this Stride-LM focusses on seven distinct types of security threats that form the acronym:
Spoofing:
Spoofing involves impersonating someone or something else with the aim of gaining unauthorized access to a system or data. A common example of spoofing is phishing attacks, where an attacker sends an email that appears to be from a legitimate source (such as a bank or a social media platform) in the hopes of tricking the recipient into providing sensitive information.
Tampering:
Tampering involves modifying data or software to gain unauthorized access or cause damage. For example, an attacker might modify a website's code to inject malicious code that steals sensitive information from users.
Repudiation:
Repudiation involves denying that an action was taken or that data was accessed. For example, an attacker might modify or delete logs, so their tracks are hidden after conducting an attack.
Information Disclosure:
Information Disclosure involves the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information. This can occur through various means, such as hacking into a system, stealing physical documents, or social engineering. The consequences of information disclosure can be severe, ranging from identity theft to espionage.
Denial of Service:
Denial of Service involves disrupting or disabling a system or network to prevent legitimate users from accessing it. This can be achieved through various means, such as overwhelming a website with traffic or exploiting vulnerabilities in network protocols.
Elevation of Privilege:
Elevation of Privilege involves gaining access to resources or data that the attacker is not authorized to access. This can occur through various means, such as exploiting vulnerabilities in software or social engineering.
Lateral Movement:
Lateral Movement involves moving laterally within a network or system to gain access to additional resources or data. This can occur through various means, such as exploiting vulnerabilities in network protocols or using stolen credentials.
STRIDE-LM can help identify potential vulnerabilities related to each of these threat categories by analysing processes and identifying potential security issues. This can help organizations take a proactive approach to cybersecurity and reduce the risk of security incidents.
Applications for STRIDE-LM in Cybersecurity
STRIDE-LM has a range of use in cybersecurity. Three of these being:
- Security Assessment: For security professionals, STRIDE-LM can assist in security assessments by identifying potential vulnerabilities in applications, systems, and networks. This can save time and resources and allow security teams to focus on more complex security issues.
- Compliance: For organizations that need to follow security regulations, such as HIPAA or PCI-DSS, STRIDE-LM can help identify potential vulnerabilities that could put them at risk of non-compliance. By looking at their systems, applications and networks using the seven types of security threats.
- Software Development: For software developers, STRIDE-LM can help find potential vulnerabilities in code early in the development process. This can lead to more secure software and reduce the risk of data breaches or other security incidents.
Limitations of STRIDE-LM
Of course, as everything this methodology does come with its own limitations. As most methodologies, a lack of context can make it difficult to accurately assess the severity of vulnerabilities.
The scope that focuses on seven threat categories may not cover every kind of threat to your organization, as such it’s also important to not solely rely on this one methodology for threat modelling. It is important to have a comprehensive approach that covers the needs of your organisation using all the methodologies and tools that are available to you.
Why is STRIDE-LM helpful for IT Threat modelling?
STRIDE-LM is helpful for IT threat modelling for the following reasons:
- It provides a structured framework for identifying potential security threats and vulnerabilities in software systems. This can help ensure that all potential attack vectors are considered, reducing the risk of overlooking important security issues.
- It’s a common language for discussing security threats and vulnerabilities, which can help improve communication between different stakeholders involved in the development and maintenance of software, systems and Information Security as a whole. This can be particularly helpful when discussing complex security issues that may involve multiple teams or departments.
- Lastly, STRIDE-LM can help identify potential security vulnerabilities early in the development process when they are generally easier and less expensive to address. This can help ensure that security can be implemented by design, rather than being bolted on as an afterthought.
Overall, by providing a structured approach to threat modelling and a common language for discussing security threats and vulnerabilities, STRIDE can help organizations take a proactive approach to cybersecurity and reduce the risk of security incidents.
How to apply STRIDE-LM
These are 6 basic steps to applying stride for IT threat modelling.
- Identify the assets:
First, identify the assets that need to be protected, such as the software application, data, and infrastructure. - Apply STRIDE-LM to each asset:
For each of these assets, apply STRIDE to identify and analyse the potential threats based on the acronym of STRIDE-LM. - Analyse the threats:
Analyse the identified threats to determine their potential impact on the asset, process and the organization as a whole. Prioritize the threats based on their severity and likelihood of occurrence. - Develop/Implement countermeasures:
Develop or implement countermeasures to mitigate the identified threats. These can include changes to the application design, code, or infrastructure, as well as implementing security controls and policies. Security controls based on STRIDE-LM can be found here Sunburst Visualization of STRIDE-LM to Security Controls - CSF Tools - Assess the countermeasures:
Testing the effectiveness of the countermeasures to ensure that they adequately address the identified threats. - Keep the treat model up to date:
Update the threat model as needed to reflect changes in the application, infrastructure, or security environment.
Overall, the application of STRIDE-LM requires a structured and systematic approach to threat modelling. It should involve collaboration between security experts, developers, and other stakeholders to ensure that all potential threats are identified and addressed.
Conclusion
STRIDE-LM is a useful method that can aid in cybersecurity threat modelling by identifying potential security vulnerabilities in systems. With the ever-increasing sophistication of cyberattacks, it is crucial for organizations to take a proactive approach to cybersecurity by identifying and mitigating potential security threats. The seven distinct types of security threats that STRIDE-LM focuses on, including Spoofing, Tampering, Repudiation, Information Disclosure, Denial of Service, Elevation of Privilege, and Lateral Movement, cover a wide range of potential attack vectors.
By finding potential vulnerabilities related to each of these categories, STRIDE-LM can help organizations take a more proactive approach to cybersecurity and reduce the risk of security incidents. The methodology has a wide range of applications in cybersecurity, including software development, security assessment, and compliance.
Therefore, using STRIDE-LM, organizations can stay one step ahead of potential security threats and ensure that they are secure and protected.
