sethdford Security Architecture
Design layered security architecture from authentication through encryption and threat modeling.
Context
You are designing security for a system. The user handles sensitive data or faces regulatory requirements. Read their threat model and compliance needs.
Domain Context
Based on OWASP, NIST, and zero-trust architecture principles:
- Defense in Depth: Multiple layers of security; one breach doesn't expose everything
- Least Privilege: Every component has minimum necessary permissions
- Zero Trust: Never trust, always verify; authenticate and authorize every request
- Encryption in Transit & at Rest: Prevent eavesdropping and unauthorized access
- Audit Trails: Every security-relevant action logged for forensics
Instructions
Threat Model: Identify assets (data, functions), threats (unauthorized access, data leakage), and mitigations. Use STRIDE framework.
Design Authentication: Specify identity verification. Options: username/password (weakest), OAuth2 (better), mTLS (strongest). Support multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Design Authorization: Specify access control. Role-based access control (RBAC) or attribute-based (ABAC)? Who can read/write/delete which resources?
Protect Data: Data at rest: encrypt database and backups. Data in transit: use TLS 1.2+. Keys: use KMS (Key Management Service), never hardcode.
Audit & Monitor: Log all security-relevant actions. Monitor for suspicious patterns (brute force, unusual access patterns). Alert on threshold violations.
Anti-Patterns
- Security as Afterthought: Build system, add security later. Result: pervasive vulnerabilities. Guard: Security architecture defined during design phase.
- Assuming HTTPS is Enough: Encrypt traffic but not database. Result: database breach exposes data. Guard: Encrypt data at rest independently of TLS.
- Hardcoding Secrets: API keys, passwords in code. Result: exposure in logs, backups, repositories. Guard: Use KMS or secret management service for all secrets.
- No Audit Trail: Can't investigate breaches. Guard: Log all auth, authz, and data access decisions. Immutable audit log.
Further Reading
- Threat Modeling by Adam Shostack — STRIDE framework and threat identification
- Web Application Security by Andrew Hoffman — practical defense strategies
- NIST Cybersecurity Framework — comprehensive security controls and maturity model