Microsoft Threat Modeling Tool

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
• STRIDE per Element: Guided analysis of threats and mitigations
• Reporting: Security activities and testing in the verification phase
• Unique Methodology: 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
• 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:

• Article on the Importance of Threat Modeling
• Training Published by Trustworthy Computing

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

• Threats Manager
• Simone Curzi Security Blog