Threat Model
A structured description of assets attackers trust boundaries threats and mitigations for a system.
Plain English
Think through what needs protection and how it could be attacked.
In context
Threat modeling helps teams prioritize security design work before vulnerabilities become incidents.
Example
“The threat model covers token theft and privilege escalation.”
When you'll hear this
- architecture review
- security review
- product planning
Common misunderstanding
A threat model is a living risk tool rather than a guarantee that every attack is known.
Also known as
threat modeling
Commonly used by
Related terms
Updated: 2026-08-25
