THE GITHTML FIELD GUIDE
Threat model summary template for a focused design review
A threat model summary should identify what needs protection, who can interact with it, where trust changes, and which abuse paths deserve attention. Explain existing controls and unresolved questions without claiming complete security. Keep sensitive implementation details in appropriately restricted material and use the summary to organize a qualified review.
Name the system and its boundaries
Begin with a narrow scope, such as a file-import endpoint and the worker that processes accepted uploads. List important assets, entry points, actors, and dependencies. OWASP's threat-modeling guidance offers a framework for examining a system systematically; the summary still needs project-specific evidence. A diagram should show where data or authority crosses a boundary, not merely where a network request travels. State what is excluded so readers do not interpret a review of uploads as an assessment of the entire product.
Pair abuse paths with controls
An illustrative abuse path could involve a user submitting content that exceeds the intended processing budget. Record the relevant limit, the component that enforces it, and the test or configuration supporting the claim. Another path might concern unauthorized access to a generated file; identify the actual authorization boundary rather than assuming an unpredictable identifier is enough. These are fictional review prompts, not discovered vulnerabilities. Separate an implemented control from a planned mitigation, and distinguish a documented design from a control that has been verified in operation.
- Asset: state what would be harmed and who depends on it.
- Boundary: identify the transition in trust or authority.
- Evidence: link the control, its verification, and any remaining uncertainty.
Turn unresolved risk into owned work
Give each open issue an owner, a decision needed, and an appropriate tracking reference. Avoid assigning numerical risk scores without a shared method, and do not let a green status badge imply that every relevant attack has been considered. Redact secrets, internal addresses, and exploit-sensitive detail according to the intended audience. A portable HTML summary should preserve the threat descriptions and decisions in text even if a diagram fails to load. Record the reviewed revision and the architectural changes that would require another assessment.
Sources and further reading
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