Governance, Risk and Compliance

Proactive Defence Against Cyber Attacks: Threat Modelling as the Key to Identifying IT Security Vulnerabilities

The Underestimated Danger: Why Reactive Security Is No Longer Sufficient

Cyber threats are evolving rapidly. Companies that rely solely on reactive security measures risk taking the decisive step too late. Like a home alarm system installed only after a break-in, the realisation usually comes too late – and at too high a cost.

According to recent studies, it takes an average of 277 days to identify and resolve a security incident. During this time, attackers can freely extract sensitive data, manipulate systems, or plant malware.¹

Early Security Checks for Your Software

Learn how to identify and systematically address threats during the planning stage:

Standardised threat-modelling workflows
Documented risk matrix & prioritisation
Training & enablement for your teams

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What Is Threat Modelling and Why Do You Need It Now?

Threat modelling is a systematic approach to identifying potential security threats, vulnerabilities, and countermeasures in IT systems and applications – before they can be exploited.² It is a proactive process that anchors security in the design phase of applications.

The approach follows the 'Secure by Design' principle and integrates security directly into the architecture, rather than applying it retrospectively.³

The 4 Key Questions of Threat Modelling:

What are we building? (Identify and model application architecture and data flows)
What could go wrong? (Develop threat scenarios)
What are we doing about it? (Define countermeasures)
Did we do a good job? (Validation and continuous improvement) ⁴

Typical Implementation Challenges

Companies face characteristic hurdles when introducing threat modelling:

Lack of structured processes for proactive IT threat analysis
Communication gaps between development teams and security experts
Late risk detection in the project cycle leads to expensive corrections
Ad hoc measures instead of systematic prevention dominate security thinking ⁵
Scaling problems due to scarce security resources ⁶

In practice, companies often only approach us on this topic when they:

Introduce new systems or applications
Require support with connecting applications to a SIEM tool and defining use cases
Need to respond to audits or security incidents
Especially in the area of application security monitoring and SIEM onboarding

The Methodology: How to Identify Security Vulnerabilities Before Others Do

A structured threat modelling process combines technical expertise with systematic thinking. To proactively identify IT security vulnerabilities, follow these proven steps:

1. Model the Application
- Create data flow diagrams
- Define trust boundaries
- Identify central assets and access points
2. Identify Threats
- Utilise proven frameworks such as STRIDE and knowledge databases like MITRE ATT&CK ⁷
- Develop hypothesis-based approaches to threat identification ⁸
- Analyse potential attack vectors
3. Conduct Risk Assessment
- Determine probability of occurrence and potential impacts
- Prioritise threats according to risk levels ¹
- Document findings for SIEM onboarding and other security measures
4. Develop Countermeasures
- Define technical and organisational measures
- Identify open attack surfaces and define resource-optimised SIEM use cases
- Establish continuous review mechanisms ⁹
Consequences of Missing Threat Modelling
Neglecting structured threat analyses leads to:
- Non-transparent security vulnerabilities in operation
- Expensive corrections and product delays
- Lack of application security monitoring strategy
- Reputation and liability risks from successful cyber attacks

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Benefits of Threat Modelling by Intero Consulting for Your Organisation

Proactive IT risk management through threat modelling offers measurable benefits:

Cost savings: Early remediation of security vulnerabilities is up to 60 times cheaper than after going live
Compliance fulfilment: Support in meeting regulatory requirements such as GDPR or NIS2
Faster time-to-market: Fewer surprises and rework in late development phases
Increased security awareness: Promotion of a security-first culture throughout the organisation

From Knowledge to Action: Your Next Steps

Start Your Threat Modelling Initiative Now!

Successful implementation of threat modelling requires expertise and a structured approach. Intero Consulting supports you with:

Introduction of a standardised threat modelling process
- Customised frameworks for your organisation's requirements
- Establishment of clear responsibilities and escalation paths
Training & Enablement of Project Teams
- Practice-oriented workshops for developers and architects
- Provision of tools and checklists
Integration into Existing Processes
- Seamless integration into SDLC and DevOps workflows
- Optimisation of existing security gates
Facilitation of Interdisciplinary Analyses
- Bringing together business, IT and security perspectives
- Documentation and prioritisation of measures

Our experts combine methodological depth with proven implementation strength and bring extensive experience with interdisciplinary security processes and regulatory requirements.

Contact us today for a no-obligation initial consultation and take the first step towards a proactive IT security strategy.

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