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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 Groups: Data Security 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

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

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Michael Roza
Michael Roza
Head of Risk, Audit, Control and Compliance

Michael Roza

Head of Risk, Audit, Control and Compliance

Since 2012 Michael has contributed to over 100 CSA projects completed by CSA's Internet of Things, Zero Trust/Software-Defined Perimeter, Top Threats, Cloud Control Matrix, Containers/Microservices, DevSecOps, and other working groups. He has also served as co-chair of CSA's Enterprise Architecture, Top Threats, and Security-as-a-Service working groups while also serving as the Standards Liaison Officer for IoT, ICS, EA, SECaaS, and Cloud K...

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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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Sean Heide
Sean Heide
Technical Research Director, CSA

Sean Heide

Technical Research Director, CSA

This person does not have a biography listed with CSA.

Jon-Michael Brook
Jon-Michael Brook

Jon-Michael Brook

Jon-Michael C. Brook, Principal at Guide Holdings, LLC, has 20 years of experience in Information Security with such organizations as Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton, Optiv Security and Symantec. Mr. Brook's work traverses the government, financial, healthcare, gaming, oil and gas and pharmaceutical industries. Mr. Brook obtained a number of industry certifications, including CISSP and CCSK, has patents and trade secrets in...

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Vic Hargrave
Vic Hargrave
Senior Cyber Analyst/Engineer

Vic Hargrave

Senior Cyber Analyst/Engineer

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Randall Brooks

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