Security Architect

Security Architect Skill

Step 1: Threat Modeling (STRIDE)

Analyze threats using STRIDE:

For AI/agentic systems, extend STRIDE with:

• Goal Hijacking (Spoofing + Tampering): Adversarial prompts redirect agent objectives
• Memory Poisoning (Tampering + Information Disclosure): Persistent context corruption
• Tool Misuse (Elevation of Privilege): Legitimate tools abused beyond intended scope

Step 2: OWASP Top 10 2025 Analysis

IMPORTANT: The OWASP Top 10 was updated in 2025 with two new categories and significant ranking shifts. Use this updated list, not the 2021 version.

Check for each vulnerability:

1. A01: Broken Access Control (includes SSRF from 2021)

   • Verify authorization on every endpoint; deny by default
   • Check for IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference) vulnerabilities
   • Validate/sanitize all URLs; use allowlists for outbound requests (absorbed SSRF)
   • Enforce CORS policies; restrict cross-origin requests

2. A02: Security Misconfiguration (up from #5 — now #2, affects ~3% of tested apps)

   • Harden defaults; disable unnecessary features, ports, services
   • Remove sample/default credentials and example content
   • Ensure consistent security settings across all environments (dev/staging/prod)
   • Review cloud storage ACLs, IAM policies, and network security groups

3. A03: Software Supply Chain Failures (NEW — highest avg exploit/impact scores)

   • Maintain an SBOM (Software Bill of Materials) for all dependencies
   • Enforce lockfiles (package-lock.json, yarn.lock, poetry.lock) and verify integrity
   • Use private registry scoping to prevent dependency confusion attacks
   • Audit postinstall scripts; disable or allowlist explicitly
   • Pin dependencies to exact versions and verify hashes/signatures
   • Monitor CVE databases and security advisories (Dependabot, Snyk, Socket.dev)
   • Harden CI/CD pipelines; enforce separation of duty (no single actor: write → deploy)
   • Block exotic transitive dependencies (git URLs, direct tarballs) in production

4. A04: Cryptographic Failures (down from #2)

   • Use strong algorithms: AES-256-GCM, SHA-256+, bcrypt/scrypt/Argon2 for passwords
   • Never store plaintext passwords; enforce TLS 1.2+ everywhere
   • Rotate secrets and keys; use envelope encryption for data at rest

5. A05: Injection (down from #3)

   • Parameterize all queries (SQL, NoSQL, LDAP, OS commands)
   • Validate and sanitize all inputs; apply output encoding for XSS prevention

6. A06: Insecure Design (down from #4)

   • Threat model early in SDLC; use secure design patterns
   • Apply principle of least privilege at design time

7. A07: Authentication Failures

   • Implement MFA; prefer phishing-resistant methods (WebAuthn/Passkeys)
   • Use OAuth 2.1 (mandatory PKCE, remove implicit/ROPC grants)
   • Enforce secure session management; invalidate sessions on logout

8. A08: Software or Data Integrity Failures

   • Verify dependencies with SRI hashes and cryptographic signatures
   • Protect CI/CD pipelines; require signed commits and artifacts

9. A09: Security Logging and Alerting Failures

   • Log all security events (auth failures, access control violations, input validation failures)
   • Protect log integrity; never log secrets or PII
   • Alert on anomalous patterns

10. A10: Mishandling of Exceptional Conditions (NEW)

    • Ensure errors fail securely — never "fail open" (default to deny on error)
    • Validate logic for edge cases: timeouts, partial responses, unexpected nulls
    • Return generic error messages to clients; log detailed context server-side
    • Test error handling paths explicitly (chaos/fault injection testing)

Step 3: OWASP Agentic AI Top 10 (ASI01-ASI10) — For AI/Agent Systems

When the codebase involves AI agents, LLMs, or autonomous systems, perform this additional assessment. Released December 2025 by OWASP GenAI Security Project.

ASI01 — Agent Goal Hijack: Attackers manipulate planning logic via prompt injection in user input, RAG documents, emails, or calendar invites.

• Mitigations: Validate all inputs against expected task scope; enforce task boundary checks in routing layer; use system prompts that resist goal redirection; log unexpected task deviations for review.

ASI02 — Tool Misuse: Agents use tools beyond intended scope (e.g., file deletion when only file read was authorized).

• Mitigations: Whitelist/blacklist tools per agent role; validate tool parameters before execution; enforce principle of least privilege for tool access; monitor tool usage patterns for anomalies.

ASI03 — Identity & Privilege Abuse: Agents inherit or delegate credentials without proper scoping, creating attribution gaps.

• Mitigations: Assign each agent a distinct, scoped identity; never reuse human credentials for agents; audit all credential delegation chains; enforce short-lived tokens for agent actions.

ASI04 — Supply Chain Vulnerabilities (Agentic): Malicious MCP servers, agent cards, plugin registries, or tool packages poison the agent ecosystem.

• Mitigations: Verify integrity of all tool/plugin sources; use registry allowlists; audit MCP server provenance; apply same supply chain controls as A03 to agent tooling.

ASI05 — Unexpected Code Execution: Agent-generated or "vibe-coded" code executes without traditional security controls (sandboxing, review).

• Mitigations: Sandbox code execution environments; review agent-generated code before execution in production; apply static analysis to generated code; never execute code from memory/context without validation.

ASI06 — Memory & Context Poisoning: Attackers embed malicious instructions in documents, web pages, or RAG corpora that persist in agent memory and influence future actions.

• Mitigations: Sanitize all data written to memory (learnings, vector stores, embeddings); validate memory entries before use; never execute commands sourced from memory without explicit approval; implement memory rotation and auditing (see ADR-102).

ASI07 — Insecure Inter-Agent Communication: Agent-to-agent messages lack authentication, integrity checks, or semantic validation, enabling injection attacks between agents.

• Mitigations: Authenticate all agent-to-agent messages; validate message schemas; use signed inter-agent payloads; apply semantic validation (not just structural) to delegated instructions.

ASI08 — Cascading Failures: Errors or attacks in one agent propagate uncontrolled through multi-agent pipelines.

• Mitigations: Define error boundaries between agents; implement circuit breakers; require human-in-the-loop checkpoints for high-impact actions; never auto-retry destructive operations on failure.

ASI09 — Human-Agent Trust Exploitation: Agents present misleading information to manipulate users into approving unsafe actions.

• Mitigations: Display agent reasoning and provenance transparently; require explicit human confirmation for irreversible actions; detect urgency/fear manipulation patterns; maintain audit trails of all user-agent interactions.

ASI10 — Rogue Agents: Agents operate outside authorized scope, take unsanctioned actions, or resist human override.

• Mitigations: Enforce hard authorization boundaries at the infrastructure level (not just prompt level); implement kill-switch mechanisms; log all agent actions with human-reviewable audit trail; test override/shutdown paths regularly.

Step 4: Supply Chain Security Review

Perform this check for all projects with external dependencies:

# Check for known vulnerabilities
npm audit --audit-level=high
# or
pnpm audit

# Verify lockfile integrity (ensure lockfile is committed and not bypassed)
# Check that package-lock.json / yarn.lock / pnpm-lock.yaml exists and is current

# Scan for malicious packages (behavioral analysis)
# Tools: Socket.dev, Snyk, Aikido, Safety (Python)

Dependency Confusion Defense:

• Scope all internal packages under a private namespace (e.g., @company/package-name)
• Configure registry resolution order to prefer private registry
• Use publishConfig and registry scoping to prevent public registry fallback for private packages
• Block exotic transitive dependencies (git URLs, direct tarball URLs)

Typosquatting Defense:

• Audit all npm install / pip install commands for misspellings
• Use allowlists for permitted packages in automated environments
• Delay new dependency version installs by 24+ hours (minimumReleaseAge) to allow malware detection

CI/CD Pipeline Hardening:

• Enforce separation of duty: no single actor writes code AND promotes to production
• Sign all build artifacts and verify signatures before deployment
• Pin action versions in GitHub Actions (use commit SHA, not floating tags)
• Restrict pipeline secrets to minimum required scope

Step 5: Modern API Authentication Review

OAuth 2.1 (current standard — replaces OAuth 2.0 for new implementations):

OAuth 2.1 removes insecure grants:
  - Implicit grant (response_type=token) — REMOVED: tokens in URL fragments leak
  - Resource Owner Password Credentials (ROPC) — REMOVED: breaks delegated auth model

OAuth 2.1 mandates:
  - PKCE (Proof Key for Code Exchange) for ALL authorization code flows
  - Exact redirect URI matching (no wildcards)
  - Sender-constraining tokens (DPoP recommended)

DPoP — Demonstrating Proof of Possession (RFC 9449):

• Binds access/refresh tokens cryptographically to the client's key pair
• Prevents token replay attacks even if tokens are intercepted
• Implement for all public clients (SPAs, mobile apps) where bearer token theft is a concern

// DPoP proof JWT structure (sent in DPoP header with each request)
// Header: { "typ": "dpop+jwt", "alg": "ES256", "jwk": { client_public_key } }
// Payload: { "jti": nonce, "htm": "POST", "htu": "https://api.example.com/token", "iat": timestamp }
// Signed with client private key — server verifies binding to issued token

Passkeys / WebAuthn (FIDO2) — for user-facing authentication:

• Phishing-resistant: credentials are origin-bound and never transmitted
• Replaces passwords and SMS OTP for high-security contexts
• Major platforms (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android) support cross-device sync as of 2026
• Implementation: use navigator.credentials.create() (registration) and navigator.credentials.get() (authentication)
• Store only the public key and credential ID server-side (never the private key)

// WebAuthn registration (simplified)
const credential = await navigator.credentials.create({
  publicKey: {
    challenge: serverChallenge, // random bytes from server
    rp: { name: 'My App', id: 'myapp.example.com' },
    user: { id: userId, name: userEmail, displayName: userName },
    pubKeyCredParams: [{ alg: -7, type: 'public-key' }], // ES256
    authenticatorSelection: { residentKey: 'preferred', userVerification: 'required' },
  },
});
// Send credential.id and credential.response to server for verification

Step 6: Security Code Review

Look for common issues:

// BAD: SQL Injection
const query = `SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ${userId}`;

// GOOD: Parameterized query
const query = `SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = $1`;
await db.query(query, [userId]);

// BAD: Hardcoded secrets
const apiKey = 'sk-abc123...';

// GOOD: Environment variables / secret manager
const apiKey = process.env.API_KEY;

// BAD: shell: true (shell injection vector)
const { exec } = require('child_process');
exec(`git commit -m "${userMessage}"`);

// GOOD: shell: false with array arguments
const { spawn } = require('child_process');
spawn('git', ['commit', '-m', userMessage], { shell: false });

// BAD: Fail open on error (dangerous for auth/authz)
try {
  const isAuthorized = await checkPermission(user, resource);
  if (isAuthorized) return next();
} catch (err) {
  return next(); // WRONG: allows access on error
}

// GOOD: Fail securely (deny on error — A10:2025)
try {
  const isAuthorized = await checkPermission(user, resource);
  if (!isAuthorized) return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Forbidden' });
  return next();
} catch (err) {
  logger.error('Permission check failed', { err, user, resource });
  return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Forbidden' }); // Default deny
}

Step 7: Authentication/Authorization Review

Verify:

• Strong password requirements OR passkey/WebAuthn (preferred in 2026)
• Secure session management (HTTPOnly, Secure, SameSite=Strict cookies)
• JWT validation (signature, expiry, audience, issuer)
• Role-based access control (RBAC) enforced server-side
• API authentication: OAuth 2.1 + PKCE (not OAuth 2.0 implicit/ROPC)
• DPoP sender-constraining for public clients handling sensitive data
• Phishing-resistant MFA (WebAuthn preferred over SMS OTP)

Step 8: Generate Security Report

Create findings report:

## Security Assessment Report

### Critical Findings

1. SQL injection in /api/users endpoint
   - Risk: Data breach
   - Fix: Use parameterized queries

### High Findings

2. Missing rate limiting on login
   - Risk: Brute force attacks
   - Fix: Implement rate limiting

3. OAuth 2.0 implicit grant in use (deprecated)
   - Risk: Access token exposure in URL fragments / browser history
   - Fix: Migrate to Authorization Code + PKCE (OAuth 2.1)

### Medium Findings

4. No lockfile committed for npm dependencies
   - Risk: Supply chain attack via dependency resolution drift
   - Fix: Commit package-lock.json; add lockfile verification to CI

### Recommendations

- Enable HTTPS everywhere; enforce HSTS
- Implement CSP headers
- Add security logging for auth events
- Migrate to OAuth 2.1 (remove implicit/ROPC grants)
- Implement passkey/WebAuthn for phishing-resistant authentication
- Run `npm audit` / `pnpm audit` in CI with failure on high/critical

1. Defense in Depth: Layer security controls; no single control is sufficient
2. Least Privilege: Minimal permissions for users, services, and AI agents
3. Fail Securely: Default to deny — especially on errors (A10:2025)
4. Validate Everything: Never trust input from any source, including agent memory
5. Keep Secrets Secret: Use secret managers; rotate regularly; never commit credentials
6. Supply Chain Hygiene: Lock dependencies, verify integrity, monitor for compromise
7. Human-in-the-Loop for Agents: Require explicit approval for irreversible agentic actions
8. Modern Auth Standards: OAuth 2.1 + PKCE, DPoP, and Passkeys/WebAuthn over legacy flows

Review the authentication flow in src/auth/ for security issues

Example Response:

## Security Review: src/auth/

### Findings

#### CRITICAL: Weak Password Hashing

- File: src/auth/password.js:23
- Issue: Using MD5 for password hashing
- Fix: Use bcrypt with cost factor >= 12

#### HIGH: No Rate Limiting

- File: src/auth/login.js
- Issue: Login endpoint has no rate limiting
- Fix: Add rate limiting (5 attempts/minute)

#### HIGH: OAuth 2.0 Implicit Grant in Use

- File: src/auth/oauth.js:45
- Issue: Using response_type=token (implicit grant, deprecated in OAuth 2.1)
- Fix: Migrate to Authorization Code flow with PKCE

#### MEDIUM: Session Not Invalidated

- File: src/auth/logout.js
- Issue: Logout doesn't invalidate server-side session
- Fix: Clear session from store on logout

### Recommendations

1. Implement bcrypt for password hashing (cost factor >= 12)
2. Add rate limiting middleware (5 req/min on /login)
3. Migrate OAuth flows to Authorization Code + PKCE (OAuth 2.1)
4. Consider passkeys/WebAuthn for phishing-resistant authentication
5. Use secure session configuration (HTTPOnly, Secure, SameSite=Strict)

Review the LLM agent pipeline in src/agents/ for agentic AI security risks

Example Response:

## Agentic AI Security Review: src/agents/

### ASI01 — Agent Goal Hijack (HIGH)

- File: src/agents/email-processor.js
- Issue: User email content passed directly to agent system prompt without sanitization
- Fix: Sanitize email content; enforce task boundary validation in routing layer

### ASI06 — Memory & Context Poisoning (HIGH)

- File: src/agents/memory-store.js:78
- Issue: Web-fetched content written to persistent memory without validation
- Fix: Validate and sanitize all external content before writing to memory; never
  execute commands retrieved from memory without explicit human approval

### ASI02 — Tool Misuse (MEDIUM)

- File: src/agents/tools/file-tool.js
- Issue: Agent has both read and delete file permissions; delete scope too broad
- Fix: Split into read-only and write tools; apply least privilege per agent role

### ASI10 — Rogue Agent Risk (MEDIUM)

- Issue: No kill-switch or hard resource limits on agent execution
- Fix: Implement max-steps limit, timeout, and human override checkpoint for
  operations affecting production data

Iron Laws

1. NEVER approve production deployment for code handling auth, PII, or external data without a completed security review
2. ALWAYS run both OWASP Top 10 2025 AND ASI01-ASI10 assessments for AI/agentic systems
3. ALWAYS fail securely — design all error paths to deny by default, never allow
4. NEVER trust any input without validation, including data from internal services
5. ALWAYS prioritize findings by severity (CRITICAL > HIGH > MEDIUM > LOW) with specific remediation steps and code examples

Anti-Patterns

Related Skills

• auth-security-expert - OAuth 2.1, JWT, and authentication-specific security patterns

Related Workflow

For comprehensive security audits requiring multi-phase threat analysis, vulnerability scanning, and remediation planning, see the corresponding workflow:

• Workflow File: .claude/workflows/security-architect-skill-workflow.md
• When to Use: For structured security audits requiring OWASP Top 10 2025 analysis, dependency CVE checks, penetration testing, and remediation planning
• Phases: 5 phases (Threat Modeling, Security Code Review, Dependency Audit, Penetration Testing, Remediation Planning)
• Coverage: Full OWASP Top 10 2025, OWASP Agentic AI Top 10 (ASI01-ASI10), STRIDE threat modeling, CVE database checks, automated and manual penetration testing

Key Features:

• Multi-agent orchestration (security-architect, code-reviewer, developer, devops)
• Security gates for pre-release blocking
• Severity classification (CRITICAL/HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW)
• Automated ticket generation
• Compliance-ready reporting (SOC2, GDPR, HIPAA)

See also: Feature Development Workflow for integrating security reviews into the development lifecycle.

Memory Protocol (MANDATORY)

Before starting:

cat .claude/context/memory/learnings.md

After completing:

• New pattern -> .claude/context/memory/learnings.md
• Issue found -> .claude/context/memory/issues.md
• Decision made -> .claude/context/memory/decisions.md

ASSUME INTERRUPTION: Your context may reset. If it's not in memory, it didn't happen.