Threat modeling

Threat modeling helps in conducting a comprehensive penetration test. This phase focuses on modeling out true threats, their effect, and their categorization based on the impact they can cause. Based on the analysis made during the intelligence gathering phase, we can model the best possible attack vectors. Threat modeling applies to business asset analysis, process analysis, threat analysis, and threat capability analysis. This phase answers the following set of questions:

• How can we attack a particular network?
• To which critical sections do we need to gain access?
• What approach is best suited for the attack?
• What are the highest-rated threats?

Modeling threats will help a penetration tester to perform the following set of operations:

• Gather relevant documentation about high-level threats
• Identify an organization's assets on a categorical basis
• Identify and categorize risks
• Mapping threats to the assets of a corporation

Modeling threats will help to define the highest priority assets with risks that can influence these assets.

Consider a black box test against a company's website. Here, information about the company's clients is the primary asset. It is also possible that in a different database on the same backend, transaction records are also stored. In this case, an attacker can use the threat of a SQL injection to step over to the transaction records database. Hence, transaction records are the secondary asset. Having the sight of impacts, we can map the risk of the SQL injection attack to the assets.

Vulnerability scanners such as Nexpose and the Pro version of Metasploit can help model threats precisely and quickly by using the automated approach. Hence, it can prove to be handy while conducting extensive tests.

For more information on the processes involved during the threat modeling phase, refer to: http://www.pentest-standard.org/index.php/Threat_Modeling.