Protecting What Matters

Understanding Your Personal Threat Model

In today’s digital age, the need for personal cybersecurity has never been more crucial. From identity theft to data breaches, the risks are real and ever-present. But fear not, as creating your personal Threat Model can help you assess and mitigate these risks effectively.

In this blog post, we will delve into the world of threat modeling, exploring what it is, why it matters, and how you can create your own personalized model to safeguard your digital assets. We will cover the basics of threat modeling and guide you through assessing your personal digital risks. In a future post, we’ll help you identify what needs protection and from whom, and provide a practical worksheet for creating your own threat model.

What is threat modeling?

Threat modeling is the process of identifying potential threats or risks to a system and determining the likelihood of those threats occurring. In the context of personal cybersecurity, it involves analyzing the possible risks to your digital assets (such as passwords, financial information, and personal data) and devising strategies to mitigate those risks.

Think of a threat model as creating a shield that protects you from invisible bad people who want to take your secrets. By understanding where the bad guys might come from, you can build a strong shield to keep your secrets safe.

Common examples of threats include phishing attacks, malware infections, unauthorized access to accounts or devices, data breaches, and social engineering tactics. Now that we understand what threat modeling is all about, let’s dive into how you can assess your personal digital risks.

Steps / Key Points

Personal cybersecurity is an ongoing process that requires vigilance and proactive measures to stay safe online. By taking time to consider your own threat model, you empower yourself with the knowledge and tools needed to protect your digital identity and assets effectively. Review the steps below as you consider your digital security.

Assessing Your Personal Digital Risks:

• Start by identifying all the digital assets that are important to you (e.g., email accounts, bank accounts, social media profiles).
• Consider the potential threats to these assets (e.g., cyberattacks, data breaches) and assess their likelihood of occurrence.
• Think about the impact these threats could have on you personally (e.g., financial loss, identity theft).

Identifying What Needs Protection:

• Prioritize your digital assets based on their importance and sensitivity.
• Determine who might be interested in targeting these assets (e.g., hackers, cybercriminals) and why.
• Consider any existing vulnerabilities in your devices or online accounts that threat actors could exploit.

Creating Your Own Threat Model:

• Use a practical worksheet or template to document your findings from assessing your digital risks.
• Develop a plan of action for mitigating these risks based on their severity and impact.
• Regularly review and update your threat model as new threats emerge or circumstances change.

Conclusion

Remember, threat modeling is not just for cybersecurity professionals. It’s a valuable tool for anyone looking to protect their digital assets and personal information. By creating your own threat model, you can identify potential risks and take proactive steps to mitigate them. Stay safe online!

Additional Resources

These posts (one and two) give hands-on experience on how organizations use the OWASP Threat Dragon for threat modelling.

For deeper reads on threat modeling:

• Threat Modeling: Designing for Security by Adam Shostack
• The Tao of Network Security Monitoring by Richard Bejtlich

This threat modeling study plan by Sanjeev Jaiswal is great.