In this lesson, we will learn about Modeling
without an Existing System.
Modeling without an existing IT system
assesses potential threats
and vulnerabilities for systems
that are not fully yet developed or deployed.
This is done to preemptively identify risks
and implement security controls while envisioning
how the system will function, considering what types
of data it will handle, the expected user interactions
and the anticipated integration points with other systems.
Based on this hypothetical model,
an organization can identify potential threats
such as data breaches or unauthorized access
and then they can select appropriate controls
like encryption, access management,
and network segmentation to mitigate these risks
before the system goes into production.
Let's learn more about modeling threats
without an existing IT system in place.
When modeling the applicability of threats
to an organization without an existing IT system in place,
the approach focuses on preemptively identifying risks
before the system is fully developed or deployed.
This method requires envisioning
how the system will function, considering what types
of data it will handle, the expected interactions with users
and the integration points with other systems.
By thinking ahead, organizations can identify
potential threats and vulnerabilities
and plan appropriate mitigating controls.
This is useful
because it allows the organization
to build security measures into the system
from the ground up rather than retrofitting them later.
The first step in this process
is to anticipate the architecture of the future system.
Will it be cloud-based on premise or a hybrid model,
and will it interact with third party systems?
Understanding the answers to these questions
and the system structure
will help pinpoint potential entry points for attacks.
For example, if the system is cloud-based,
threats like unauthorized access
to cloud resources or data breaches
through poorly secured application programming interfaces
or APIs are significant concerns.
So by having a clear idea of how the IT system
will function, organizations can begin
to map out areas of vulnerability.
Once the system architecture is envisioned,
it is essential to consider what types of data
the system will process and store.
Different types of data carry different risks.
For instance, a system handling sensitive
customer information such as credit card numbers
or medical records, is particularly vulnerable
to data breaches.
Knowing this, an organization can prioritize
data protection controls such as encryption
for both data at rest and data in transit,
to ensure that even if the data is intercepted
or accessed by an unauthorized party,
it remains unreadable.
The next consideration
is how users will interact with the system.
Will employees, customers or third parties need access?
If so, what levels of access will they require?
By assessing these types of anticipated interactions,
organizations can identify potential risks
related to unauthorized access or misuse of the system.
For example, if the system will have multiple user types
with different access levels,
implementing access management controls
such as role-based access control
would be a good mitigating measure.
This would ensure that each user only has access
to the resources necessary for their role,
reducing the risk of unauthorized data exposure.
Another factor to consider is the IT systems
integration points with other IT systems,
both internal and external.
Integrations often create additional security risks
as they effectively expand the system's attack surface.
For example, if the system will integrate
with third party services via APIs,
there's a risk of API abuse
where attackers might exploit weaknesses in the API
to access sensitive data or functions.
So to mitigate this, organizations can plan
to implement strong API security controls,
such as requiring authentication for API calls,
setting rate limits and monitoring for unusual activity.
Now, with these potential risks identified,
organizations can begin selecting
the appropriate security controls
to mitigate them before the system is launched.
For example, multifactor authentication
is a common control to protect against unauthorized access.
Requiring users to verify their identity
through two or more authentication methods
significantly reduces the chances
of unauthorized users gaining access to the system.
With MFA or multi-factor authentication,
employees logging in from remote locations
may need to provide a password as well as a code
sent to their mobile device to access network resources.
Encryption is another mitigating control
for IT systems handling sensitive data,
encrypting data at rest or when it's stored
and encrypting data in transit
or when it is moving through the network protects it
from being intercepted and misused.
This way, even if an attacker gains access to the system
or intercepts the data, they would not be able
to read it without the decryption keys.
This control is especially important for systems
that handle personal data, financial information,
or any other confidential records.
Finally, network segmentation is a strategy
that can limit the spread
of an attack within the system should it occur.
By dividing the network into smaller isolated segments,
organizations can restrict access
between different parts of the system.
This means that if an attacker compromises
one part of the system, they won't be able
to easily move throughout the network
to cause further damage for a system in development.
Planning for network segmentation early on
ensures that this control is embedded
into the design rather than added after the fact.
So remember, modeling threats without an existing IT system
focuses on identifying potential risks
before the system is developed or deployed.
This involves envisioning how the system will function,
what types of data it will handle,
and how users will interact with it.
By assessing these elements early on,
organizations can identify vulnerabilities
and select appropriate security measures like encryption
and access management to mitigate risks.
Additionally, planning for security
from the start allows controls
to be embedded into the system's design.
This proactive approach helps prevent issues
and ensures the system is secure when it goes live.