What is Threat Model?
A systematic analysis of what you're trying to protect, from whom, the consequences of failure, and what resources you can apply. Threat modeling helps prioritize security efforts by focusing on realistic threats rather than theoretical ones.
Also known as: Threat Assessment, Risk Assessment
"What are you protecting, from whom, and what happens if you fail?" Your answers determine what security measures actually make sense for your situation.
Key Questions
What Do You Want to Protect?
- Communications
- Location/movement
- Identity
- Financial information
- Relationships/network
- Activities
Who Are Your Adversaries?
- Corporations (tracking, advertising)
- Criminals (fraud, theft)
- Government (surveillance, law enforcement)
- Personal (stalkers, abusers)
- Employers (monitoring)
What Are Their Capabilities?
- Technical sophistication
- Legal powers
- Resources
- Motivation level
What Are the Consequences?
- Embarrassment
- Financial loss
- Legal trouble
- Physical safety
- Job loss
- Relationship damage
Threat Model Examples
Average Person
Protect: Personal data, browsing habits From: Advertisers, data brokers, hackers Tools: Password manager, VPN, ad blocker Effort: Low-medium
Journalist
Protect: Sources, communications, research From: Government, corporations, criminals Tools: Signal, Tor, encrypted storage, OPSEC Effort: High
Activist in Authoritarian Country
Protect: Identity, activities, associates From: Government surveillance, informants Tools: Tor, Tails, air-gapped devices, strict OPSEC Effort: Very high, life-or-death
Common Mistakes
Over-Engineering
- Nuclear bunker security for email
- Wasted effort on unlikely threats
- Missing actual vulnerabilities
Under-Engineering
- "I have nothing to hide"
- Ignoring realistic threats
- False sense of security
Wrong Threat Focus
- Worrying about NSA, ignoring phishing
- Military-grade encryption, weak passwords
- Missing the obvious attacks
Building Your Threat Model
- List assets (what you're protecting)
- List adversaries (who wants it)
- Assess capabilities (what can they do)
- Evaluate consequences (what if they succeed)
- Identify vulnerabilities (how could they succeed)
- Select countermeasures (proportional to threat)
- Review regularly (threats change)
Related Terms
Operational Security
The practice of protecting sensitive information by thinking like an adversary to identify vulnerabilities in your own behavior and communications. OPSEC goes beyond technical tools to address human factors that could expose you.
Privacy
The right to control access to your personal information and to be free from unwanted observation or surveillance. Privacy is not about having something to hide—it's about autonomy, dignity, and the ability to choose what you share and with whom.
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