Microsoft Threat Modeling Tool

02/16/2017

2 minutes to read





In this article

The Threat Modeling Tool is a core element of the Microsoft Security Development Lifecycle (SDL). It allows software architects to identify and mitigate potential security issues early, when they are relatively easy and cost-effective to resolve. As a result, it greatly reduces the total cost of development. Also, we designed the tool with non-security experts in mind, making threat modeling easier for all developers by providing clear guidance on creating and analyzing threat models.

The tool enables anyone to:

Communicate about the security design of their systems

Analyze those designs for potential security issues using a proven methodology

Suggest and manage mitigations for security issues

Here are some tooling capabilities and innovations, just to name a few:

Automation: Guidance and feedback in drawing a model

Guidance and feedback in drawing a model STRIDE per Element: Guided analysis of threats and mitigations

Guided analysis of threats and mitigations Reporting: Security activities and testing in the verification phase

Security activities and testing in the verification phase Unique Methodology: Enables users to better visualize and understand threats

Enables users to better visualize and understand threats Designed for Developers and Centered on Software: many approaches are centered on assets or attackers. We are centered on software. We build on activities that all software developers and architects are familiar with -- such as drawing pictures for their software architecture

many approaches are centered on assets or attackers. We are centered on software. We build on activities that all software developers and architects are familiar with -- such as drawing pictures for their software architecture Focused on Design Analysis: The term "threat modeling" can refer to either a requirements or a design analysis technique. Sometimes, it refers to a complex blend of the two. The Microsoft SDL approach to threat modeling is a focused design analysis technique

Next steps

The table below contains important links to get you started with the Threat Modeling Tool: See also: System requirements

Resources

Here are a few older articles still relevant to threat modeling today:

Check out what a few Threat Modeling Tool experts have done: