What are these Models in IT Security – STRIDE OCTAVE PASTA DREAD
DREAD (Damage potential, Reproducibility, Exploitability, Affected users, Discoverability) is an approach to prioritize the threats. OCTAVE (Operationally Critical Threat, Asset, and Vulnerability Evaluation) is an approach for managing security risks. STRIDE (Spoofing, Tampering, Repudiation, Information disclosure, DOS, Elevation of privilege) is a software-centric approach to assess risks regarding the use of software. PASTA (Process for Attack Simulation and Threat Analysis) is a risk-centric approach that, because it includes the business objectives, is more useful for assessing business risks.
In the realm of IT security, the terms you mentioned refer to different threat modeling frameworks or methodologies used to analyze and mitigate potential security risks. Let me briefly explain each one:
- STRIDE:
- Spoofing: Focusing on identity deception.
- Tampering: Concerned with data integrity and unauthorized changes.
- Repudiation: Ensuring that actions are traceable to their source.
- Information Disclosure: Preventing unauthorized access to sensitive information.
- Denial of Service: Addressing issues related to availability.
- Elevation of Privilege: Managing unauthorized escalation of privileges.
- OCTAVE (Operationally Critical Threat, Asset, and Vulnerability Evaluation):
- Developed by Carnegie Mellon University, this is a risk assessment framework that emphasizes business-driven security.
- It involves identifying critical assets, assessing risks, and establishing security controls based on the organization’s operational requirements.
- PASTA (Process for Attack Simulation and Threat Analysis):
- Process: It’s a structured approach to threat modeling.
- Attack: Involves identifying potential threats and attacks.
- Simulation: Simulating these attacks to understand their impact.
- Threat Analysis: Analyzing the identified threats.
- Analysis: Assessing the impact and potential countermeasures.
- DREAD (Damage, Reproducibility, Exploitability, Affected Users, and Discoverability):
- Damage: How much damage could a successful exploit cause?
- Reproducibility: How easy is it to reproduce the vulnerability?
- Exploitability: How difficult is it to launch an exploit?
- Affected Users: How many users could be impacted?
- Discoverability: How likely is it that an attacker will find this vulnerability?
Each of these frameworks provides a structured approach to understanding and mitigating security risks, but they may be applied in different contexts or suit different organizational needs. It’s common for security professionals to select a framework based on the specific requirements and goals of a project or organization.
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STRIDE is a threat modeling methodology that identifies potential threats to a system based on six threat categories:
- Spoofing: An attacker impersonates another user or entity.
- Tampering: An attacker modifies data in transit or storage.
- Repudiation: An attacker denies performing an action.
- Information disclosure: An attacker gains access to confidential information.
- Denial of service: An attacker prevents legitimate users from accessing a system or resource.
- Elevation of privilege: An attacker gains access to higher levels of authorization.
OCTAVE
OCTAVE (Operationally Critical Threat, Asset, and Vulnerability Evaluation) is a risk-driven threat modeling methodology that focuses on protecting critical assets from the most likely and damaging threats. OCTAVE is a more comprehensive and complex methodology than STRIDE, and it is typically used by larger organizations with more mature security practices.
PASTA
PASTA (Process for Attack Simulation and Threat Analysis) is a threat modeling methodology that combines elements of STRIDE and OCTAVE. PASTA is a flexible methodology that can be adapted to the specific needs of an organization. It is typically used by organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises.
DREAD
DREAD is a risk assessment methodology that can be used to prioritize threats identified using STRIDE, PASTA, or other threat modeling methodologies. DREAD stands for:
- Damage: The potential impact of a successful exploit.
- Reproducibility: How easy it is for an attacker to exploit the vulnerability.
- Exploitability: How easy it is for an attacker to exploit the vulnerability given the necessary resources.
- Affected users: The number of users who could be affected by the vulnerability.
- Discoverability: How easy it is for an attacker to discover the vulnerability.
DREAD scores can be used to prioritize threats and allocate resources to mitigate the most critical risks.
Which methodology to use?
The best threat modeling methodology for your organization will depend on your specific needs and circumstances. If you are a small business with limited security expertise, STRIDE is a good option to start with. If you are a larger organization with more mature security practices, OCTAVE or PASTA may be a better choice.
You can also consider using a combination of methodologies. For example, you could use STRIDE to identify potential threats and then use DREAD to assess the risk of each threat.
Ultimately, the goal of threat modeling is to identify and mitigate security risks as early as possible in the development process. By using a threat modeling methodology, you can help to ensure that your systems are secure and that your data is protected.