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Cloud Threat Modeling
Cloud Threat Modeling
Who it's for:
  • Cloud security practitioners who analyze threats, assess system preparedness, or design cloud systems and services
  • CIOs, CISOs, and senior managers
  • Developers and architects

Cloud Threat Modeling

Release Date: 07/29/2021

Working Group: Top Threats

Threat modeling serves to identify threats and preventive measures for a system or application. However, threat modeling is one security methodology that has not matched the general rate of cloud adoption, due to a gap in guidance, expertise, and applicability of the practice. Threat modeling for cloud systems expands on standard threat modeling to account for unique cloud services. It allows organizations to further security discussions and assess their security controls and mitigation decisions.

This document from the Top Threats Working Group attempts to bridge the gap between threat modeling and the cloud. To that end, this publication provides crucial guidance to help identify threat modeling security objectives, set the scope of assessments, decompose systems, identify threats, identify design vulnerabilities, develop mitigations and controls, and communicate a call-to-action. Central lessons include the benefits of threat modeling, the unique knowledge and considerations required when threat modeling in the cloud, and how to create a cloud threat model. Example threat modeling cards are provided and can be used by your team for a more gamified approach.

Key Takeaways:
  • The baseline threat modeling processes taken from various standards and best practices 
  • The differences between standard threat modeling and cloud threat modeling
  • How to create a cloud threat model from scratch
  • A basic cloud threat model reference
  • What should be included in a detailed security design report
  • Example cloud threat modeling cards
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Acknowledgements

Michael Roza
Michael Roza
Risk, Audit, Control and Compliance Professional at EVC

Michael Roza

Risk, Audit, Control and Compliance Professional at EVC

Since 2012, Michael Roza has been a pivotal member of the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) family. He has contributed to over 125 projects, as a Lead Author or Author/Contributor and many more as a Reviewer/Editor.

Michael's extensive contributions encompass critical areas including Artificial Intelligence, Zero Trust/Software Defined Perimeter, Internet of Things, Top Threats, Cloud Control Matrix, DevSecOps, and Key Management. His lea...

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Vani Murthy
Vani Murthy
Sr. Information Security Compliance Advisor, Akamai Technologies

Vani Murthy

Sr. Information Security Compliance Advisor, Akamai Technologies

Vani has 20+ years of IT experience in the areas such as Security, Risk, Compliance, Cloud services (IaaS/PaaS/SaaS) architecture

Read more

Sean Heide
Sean Heide
Technical Research Director, CSA

Sean Heide

Technical Research Director, CSA

Jon-Michael Brook
Jon-Michael Brook

Jon-Michael Brook

Jon-Michael C. Brook is a certified, 25-year practitioner of cybersecurity, cloud, and privacy. He is the principal contributor to certification sites for privacy and cloud security, and has published books on privacy. Jon-Michael received numerous awards and recognition during his time with Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Symantec, and Starbucks. He holds patents and trade secrets in intrusion detection, GUI design, and semantic data redaction...

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Vic Hargrave
Vic Hargrave
Senior Cyber Analyst/Engineer

Vic Hargrave

Senior Cyber Analyst/Engineer

Vic Hargrave has 20 years of experience in cybersecurity working for Everfox, Forcepoint Federal, Trend Micro, and VMware developing a broad range of security solutions including user-entity behavior analytics, threat management, and content filtering. Vic specializes in behavior analytics and insider threat risk. He has co-authored several publications with the Top Treat Working Group and is active in the CSA AI Technology and Risk Worki...

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Randall Brooks Headshot Missing
Randall Brooks

Randall Brooks

Adalberto Valle Headshot Missing
Adalberto Valle

Adalberto Valle

Nirenj George Headshot Missing
Nirenj George

Nirenj George

Ken Dunham Headshot Missing
Ken Dunham

Ken Dunham

Ebudo Osime Headshot Missing
Ebudo Osime

Ebudo Osime

Fadi Sodah Headshot Missing
Fadi Sodah

Fadi Sodah

James Bore Headshot Missing
James Bore

James Bore

Vladi Sandler Headshot Missing
Vladi Sandler

Vladi Sandler

John Yeoh
John Yeoh
Global Vice President of Research, CSA

John Yeoh

Global Vice President of Research, CSA

With over 15 years of experience in research and technology, John excels at executive-level leadership, relationship management, and strategy development. He is a published author, technologist, and researcher with areas of expertise in cybersecurity, cloud computing, information security, and next generation technology (IoT, Big Data, SecaaS, Quantum). John specializes in risk management, third party assessment, GRC, data protection, incid...

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