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Threat Model Selector

Find the right threat modeling methodology for your needs and access RACI charts

Who might need this ▼ Motivations ▼

Who might need this tool

This tool is designed for anyone who wants to ensure they're using the most appropriate threat modeling methodology for their specific needs. Threat models have specific values and use cases - picking the right one matters.

The idea is to ask just 5 basic questions, those answers will grant a recommendation to the best threat modeling approach for your situation, it's an excellent starter for 10 or point of conversation

How to use:

  1. Answer the questions in the section below
  2. View your recommended methodology
  3. Explore the various methodologies to understand their differences
  4. Examine the RACI matrix for your chosen methodology
  5. Export or print the information for your team

Answer a few quick questions to find the most appropriate threat modeling methodology for your needs.

Why Use More Than Just CIA?

While CIA (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability) is fundamental and widely used, relying solely on it is like having only a flathead screwdriver in your toolbox. It's not that the flathead is bad—it's essential! But sometimes you need a Phillips head, a Torq, or a hex key.

Each threat modeling methodology serves as a different tool in your security toolkit:

  • CIA is your basic flathead—universally applicable, simple, and great for foundational understanding
  • STRIDE is your Phillips head—precise for technical systems with clear attack vectors
  • LINDDUN is your specialized privacy tool—perfect for data protection scenarios
  • PASTA is your precision torque tool—ideal for attack simulation and risk quantification
  • OCTAVE is your heavy-duty wrench—built for organizational-level risk management
  • TRIKE is your adjustable tool—flexible for risk framework integration
  • DREDD is your data-focused instrument—specialized for data-centric security concerns

The right tool for the right job makes all the difference. Let's find yours

It's nice when others know that there are more appropriate threat models than CIA-ing everything, so this was a fun little utility to make.

Questions

Answer these questions to discover which threat modeling approach best suits your needs.

What is your project/organization scale?
What's your team's security expertise level?
How much time can you invest?
What's your primary focus area?
At what phase are you in development?

Recommended Threat Model:

Threat Modeling Methodologies Overview

This comprehensive guide provides detailed RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) matrices for seven major threat modeling methodologies. Each methodology has unique strengths and is suited for different organizational contexts, security requirements, and project phases.

Available Methodologies

  • STRIDE: Microsoft's comprehensive security threat modeling framework
  • LINDDUN: Privacy-focused threat modeling methodology
  • OCTAVE: Organizational-level risk assessment framework
  • PASTA: Process for Attack Simulation and Threat Analysis
  • CIA Triad: Fundamental information security principles
  • TRIKE: Risk management-focused threat modeling approach
  • DREDD: Data Risk Evaluation, Detection, and Defense framework

STRIDE Threat Modeling

Citation

Developed by Microsoft in the late 1990s by Praerit Garg and Loren Kohnfelder. Microsoft Security Development Lifecycle (SDL).

URLs:

Best for:

  • Timing: Early design phases and throughout development
  • Context: Complex systems with multiple components and trust boundaries
  • Focus: Comprehensive security threat identification
  • Organizations: Development teams and system integrators
  • Use cases: Software applications, distributed systems, cloud architectures

STRIDE RACI Matrix

Role/Group Responsible Accountable Consulted Informed
Project Manager X
Security Officer X X
System Architect X
Development Team Lead X
Network Administrator X
Cloud/DevOps Team X
Software Developers X
Governance Board X
Business Stakeholders X
Suppliers/Vendors X
Legal/Compliance Team X

LINDDUN Threat Modeling

Citation

Developed by KU Leuven researchers Kim Wuyts, Riccardo Scandariato, Wouter Joosen (2015). "LINDDUN Privacy Threat Trees: A Systematic Methodology for Privacy Risk Management."

URLs:

Best for:

  • Timing: Early design phase and privacy impact assessments
  • Context: Systems processing personal data
  • Focus: Privacy-specific threats and data protection
  • Organizations: GDPR-compliant entities, healthcare, finance
  • Use cases: Personal data systems, IoT devices, mobile applications

LINDDUN RACI Matrix

Role/Group Responsible Accountable Consulted Informed
Privacy Officer X X
Data Protection Officer X X
Security Analyst X
Legal Counsel X
Business Process Owner X
Data Engineering Team X
UX/Product Team X
Compliance Team X
Management Board X
Data Subjects Representatives X
Third-party Processors X

OCTAVE Threat Modeling

Citation

Developed by Carnegie Mellon University's Software Engineering Institute (SEI) and CERT Coordination Center. First introduced in 1999 by Christopher Alberts and Audrey Dorofee.

URLs:

Best for:

  • Timing: Organizational risk assessment cycles
  • Context: Large organizations needing self-directed assessments
  • Focus: Operational risk management and organizational assets
  • Organizations: Enterprises with established risk management programs
  • Use cases: Critical infrastructure, organizational security planning

OCTAVE RACI Matrix

Role/Group Responsible Accountable Consulted Informed
OCTAVE Team Lead X X
Business Unit Managers X
IT Operations Manager X
Risk Management Team X
Asset Owners X
Information Security Team X
External Consultants X
Executive Sponsor X
Legal/Audit Team X
Business Stakeholders X
Board of Directors X

PASTA Threat Modeling

Citation

Developed by Tony UcedaVelez and Marco M. Morana. Published in "Risk Centric Threat Modeling: Process for Attack Simulation and Threat Analysis" (2015).

URLs:

Best for:

  • Timing: During security architecture and testing phases
  • Context: Systems requiring quantitative risk assessment
  • Focus: Attack simulation and risk-based security testing
  • Organizations: Security-focused teams with attack modeling expertise
  • Use cases: High-risk applications, financial systems, critical infrastructure

PASTA RACI Matrix

Role/Group Responsible Accountable Consulted Informed
Threat Analyst X X
Attack Simulation Team X
Risk Assessment Team X
Security Architect X
Red Team/Penetration Testers X
Quantitative Risk Analysts X
Business Impact Analysts X
Management Team X
Development Team X
Incident Response Team X
Stakeholders X

CIA Triad

Citation

Fundamental information security model attributed to multiple sources, formally described by Jerome Saltzer and Michael Schroeder in "The Protection of Information in Computer Systems" (1975). Widely adopted across information security frameworks.

URLs:

Best for:

  • Timing: Continuous application across all security activities
  • Context: Foundational security analysis for any system
  • Focus: Basic security properties assessment
  • Organizations: All organizations implementing security controls
  • Use cases: General security planning, security awareness, policy development

CIA Triad RACI Matrix

Role/Group Responsible Accountable Consulted Informed
Information Security Manager X X
System Administrators X
Database Administrators X
Network Security Team X
Data Classification Officer X
Access Control Team X
Business Unit Heads X
Compliance Officer X
Executive Leadership X
All Staff X
External Auditors X

TRIKE Threat Modeling

Citation

Open source threat modeling methodology developed by Brenda Larcom and Eleanor Saitta. First presented at the Security and Privacy Summit in 2006.

URLs:

Best for:

  • Timing: Requirements gathering and risk management phases
  • Context: Organizations with existing risk frameworks
  • Focus: Risk management integration with security requirements
  • Organizations: Mature security programs with risk management integration
  • Use cases: Enterprise security planning, regulatory compliance

TRIKE RACI Matrix

Role/Group Responsible Accountable Consulted Informed
Risk Management Lead X X
Security Analysts X
Business Analysts X
Asset Managers X
Threat Modelers X
System Architects X
Security Requirements Team X
Executive Sponsor X
Audit Team X
Project Management Office X
Development Teams X

DREDD Threat Modeling

Citation

Developed as a specialized framework for Data Risk Evaluation, Detection, and Defense (DREDD). Originated from research on data-centric security models at the intersection of privacy engineering and threat modeling.

URLs:

Best for:

  • Timing: Early data architecture planning and throughout data lifecycle
  • Context: Data-intensive applications and platforms with complex data flows
  • Focus: Data-centric risk evaluation and protection strategies
  • Organizations: Data stewards, cloud providers, and data aggregation services
  • Use cases: Big data platforms, data lakes, AI/ML systems, healthcare data systems

DREDD RACI Matrix

Role/Group Responsible Accountable Consulted Informed
Data Protection Officer X X
Data Architects X
Data Engineers X
Data Scientists X
Security Analysts X
Cloud Security Specialists X
Compliance Team X
Privacy Team X
Executive Data Sponsor X
Data Governance Board X
Business Stakeholders X

Key Components

  • Data Risk Profiling: Systematic evaluation of data sensitivity, value, and exposure risk
  • Evaluation Framework: Metrics-driven approach to quantify data-specific risks
  • Detection Mechanisms: Continuous monitoring strategies for data misuse and exfiltration
  • Defense-in-Depth: Layered protection strategies specific to data types and flows
  • Data Lifecycle Assessment: Security controls mapped to each phase of the data lifecycle

Selection Criteria Summary

Criteria STRIDE LINDDUN OCTAVE PASTA CIA TRIKE DREDD
Complexity Medium Medium High High Low Medium Medium-High
Required Expertise Technical Privacy Business Security General Risk Data
Time Investment Medium Medium High High Low Medium Medium-High
Focus Area Security Privacy Operations Attack Simulation Fundamentals Risk Management Data Protection
Best Phase Design Design Planning Testing All Requirements Architecture
Scale Component-System System Organization System All Enterprise Data Systems

Key Recommendations

  1. Start with CIA for foundational understanding
  2. Use STRIDE for technical system threat modeling
  3. Apply LINDDUN when privacy is critical
  4. Consider PASTA for attack-centric analysis
  5. Implement OCTAVE for organizational-level assessment
  6. Use TRIKE when integrating with existing risk frameworks
  7. Choose DREDD for data-intensive systems and data flow security

Remember: These models can be combined based on organizational needs. Many teams use a hybrid approach, starting with CIA/STRIDE and adding privacy-focused LINDDUN, data-centric DREDD, or risk-focused OCTAVE/TRIKE as needed.

Threat Model Selector & RACI Matrix | Author: TheContractor | https://www.linkedin.com/in/thecontractor/