tachyon-beep Using Security Architect
Overview
This meta-skill routes you to the right security architecture skills based on your situation. Load this skill when you need security expertise but aren't sure which specific security skill to use.
Core Principle: Different security tasks require different skills. Match your situation to the appropriate skill, load only what you need.
When to Use
Load this skill when:
- Starting any security-related task
- User mentions: "security", "threat", "authentication", "authorization", "compliance", "classified", "review this design"
- You recognize security implications but unsure which skill applies
- You need to document security decisions
Don't use for: Simple features with no security implications (e.g., UI styling, basic CRUD with existing auth)
How to Access Reference Sheets
IMPORTANT: All reference sheets are located in the SAME DIRECTORY as this SKILL.md file.
When this skill is loaded from:
skills/using-security-architect/SKILL.md
Reference sheets like threat-modeling.md are at:
skills/using-security-architect/threat-modeling.md
NOT at:
skills/threat-modeling.md ← WRONG PATH
When you see a link like [threat-modeling.md](threat-modeling.md), read the file from the same directory as this SKILL.md.
Routing by Situation
New System Design
Symptoms: "Design a new...", "We're building...", "Greenfield project"
Route to:
- First: threat-modeling.md - Identify threats before implementation
- Then: secure-by-design-patterns.md - Design with security built-in
- Then: security-controls-design.md - Select appropriate controls
Example: "Design authentication system" → Load all three in order
Existing System Review
Symptoms: "Review this design", "Security audit", "Does this look secure?"
Route to: security-architecture-review.md
When to add:
- Add threat-modeling.md if design lacks threat analysis
- Add secure-by-design-patterns.md if architecture has gaps
Example: "Review this plugin system" → Load security-architecture-review.md
Specific Security Domains
Authentication/Authorization Design
Route to:
- threat-modeling.md (identify auth threats)
- secure-by-design-patterns.md (defense-in-depth, fail-secure)
- Consider: security-authorization-and-accreditation.md (if government/ATO needed)
Configuration & Secrets
Route to:
- threat-modeling.md (config tampering threats)
- security-controls-design.md (separation of config vs code)
API Security
Route to:
- threat-modeling.md (STRIDE on API endpoints)
- security-architecture-review.md (review access controls)
Specialized Contexts (Extensions)
LLM / AI / Agentic Systems
Symptoms: "LLM", "prompt injection", "RAG", "vector store", "agent", "MCP", "model registry", "AI safety" (security flavor), "jailbreak", "model poisoning"
Route to: llm-and-ai-security.md
When to add:
- Add threat-modeling.md for STRIDE spine
- Add supply-chain-security.md when model registries, datasets, or inference deps are in scope
- Cross-faction: Yzmir LLM specialist for prompt/fine-tune/RAG correctness
Example: "Threat model our customer support chatbot with tool-use" → Load llm-and-ai-security.md + threat-modeling.md
Build / Supply-Chain / Release Pipeline
Symptoms: "supply chain", "SBOM", "SLSA", "Sigstore", "cosign", "dependency confusion", "typosquat", "provenance", "build attestation", "signed releases"
Route to: supply-chain-security.md
When to add:
- Add security-architecture-review.md for tooling catalog
- Add compliance-awareness-and-mapping.md for EO 14028 / EU CRA mapping
Example: "Design our SLSA L2 build pipeline" → Load supply-chain-security.md
Classified/High-Security Systems
Symptoms: "TOP SECRET", "classified data", "security clearances", "multi-level security", "Bell-LaPadula"
Route to:
- classified-systems-security.md (REQUIRED for classified contexts)
- Plus core skills: threat-modeling.md, secure-by-design-patterns.md
Example: "Design system handling SECRET and UNCLASSIFIED" → Load classified-systems-security.md first
Compliance/Regulatory
Symptoms: "HIPAA", "PCI-DSS", "SOC2", "GDPR", "compliance audit", "regulatory requirements"
Route to: compliance-awareness-and-mapping.md
When to add:
- Add security-authorization-and-accreditation.md if ATO/AIS needed
- Add core skills for implementing compliant controls
Example: "Build HIPAA-compliant system" → Load compliance-awareness-and-mapping.md + threat-modeling.md
Government Authorization
Symptoms: "ATO", "AIS", "authority to operate", "SSP", "SAR", "POA&M", "FedRAMP", "FISMA"
Route to: security-authorization-and-accreditation.md
Cross-reference: Load muna/technical-writer/operational-acceptance-documentation for SSP/SAR writing
Documentation Tasks
Symptoms: "Document security decisions", "Write security docs", "Explain threat model"
Route to: documenting-threats-and-controls.md
Cross-faction reference: Load muna/technical-writer/documentation-structure for ADR format, clarity guidelines
Example: "Document why we chose MLS" → Load documenting-threats-and-controls.md + documentation-structure
Core vs Extension Skills
Core Skills (Universal - Use for Any Project)
Load these for any project with security needs:
- threat-modeling.md - Identify threats (STRIDE, attack trees)
- security-controls-design.md - Design controls (defense-in-depth, fail-secure)
- security-architecture-review.md - Review designs for security gaps
- secure-by-design-patterns.md - Apply secure design patterns
- documenting-threats-and-controls.md - Document security decisions
Extension Skills (Specialized - Use for Specific Contexts)
Load these only when context requires:
- llm-and-ai-security.md - LLM, RAG, agentic, and ML threats (OWASP LLM Top 10, MITRE ATLAS)
- supply-chain-security.md - SLSA, SBOM, Sigstore, dependency threats, build provenance
- classified-systems-security.md - Handling classified/sensitive data with clearances
- compliance-awareness-and-mapping.md - Regulatory compliance (HIPAA, PCI-DSS, GDPR, etc.)
- security-authorization-and-accreditation.md - Government ATO/AIS processes
Decision: If you're unsure whether context is "specialized", start with core skills. Specialized contexts will be explicit in requirements.
Decision Tree
Is this security-related?
├─ No → Don't load security skills
└─ Yes → Continue
What's the situation?
├─ New system design → threat-modeling + secure-by-design-patterns + security-controls-design
├─ Reviewing existing → security-architecture-review
├─ Documenting security → documenting-threats-and-controls + muna/technical-writer/documentation-structure
└─ Domain-specific → See "Specific Security Domains" above
Is this a specialized context?
├─ LLM / RAG / agent → ADD: llm-and-ai-security
├─ Build pipeline / SBOM / signing → ADD: supply-chain-security
├─ Classified data → ADD: classified-systems-security
├─ Compliance required → ADD: compliance-awareness-and-mapping
├─ Government ATO → ADD: security-authorization-and-accreditation
└─ No → Core skills sufficient
Cross-Faction References
Security work often requires skills from other factions:
Muna (Documentation):
muna/technical-writer/documentation-structure- When documenting security (ADRs, SSPs)muna/technical-writer/clarity-and-style- When explaining security to non-experts
Load both factions when: Documenting security decisions, writing security policies, explaining threats to stakeholders
Axiom (Audit Pipelines):
axiom-audit-pipelines:using-audit-pipelines(or/audit-pipelines) — When the system makes procedural decisions whose provenance must be defensible after the fact (rule firings, governor verdicts, automated approvals). This pack designs the evidence (canonical encoding, fingerprint chains, signed exports, decision provenance, retention reconciled with RTBF). Security architecture designs system controls; audit pipelines design the log itself. Cross-link: the audit-log threat model lives in the audit pack (07-threat-model.md); the system threat model lives here (threat-modeling.md). They reference each other rather than duplicate STRIDE tables.
Load both packs when: A system has both regulatory compliance obligations and procedural decisions auditors will sample. Order: this pack first (system threat model + controls), then audit pipelines (decision-log specification, integrity scheme, replay capability) consuming the system threat model as input.
Common Routing Patterns
Pattern 1: New Authentication System
User: "Design authentication with passwords and OAuth"
You: Loading threat-modeling + secure-by-design-patterns + security-controls-design
Pattern 2: Design Review
User: "Review this plugin security design"
You: Loading security-architecture-review
Pattern 3: Classified System
User: "Build system handling TOP SECRET data"
You: Loading classified-systems-security + threat-modeling + secure-by-design-patterns
Pattern 4: Compliance Project
User: "Build HIPAA-compliant patient portal"
You: Loading compliance-awareness-and-mapping + threat-modeling + security-controls-design
Pattern 5: Security Documentation
User: "Document our MLS security decisions"
You: Loading documenting-threats-and-controls + muna/technical-writer/documentation-structure
When NOT to Load Security Skills
Don't load security skills for:
- UI styling (colors, fonts, layouts)
- Basic CRUD with existing, tested auth
- Non-security refactoring (renaming variables, extracting functions)
- Documentation that isn't security-related
Example: "Add dark mode toggle to settings" → No security skills needed (unless settings include security-sensitive preferences)
Quick Reference Table
| Task Type | Load These Skills | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New system design | threat-modeling, secure-by-design-patterns, security-controls-design | Load in order |
| Design review | security-architecture-review | Add threat-modeling if no threat analysis exists |
| Authentication | threat-modeling, secure-by-design-patterns | Consider authorization-and-accreditation if ATO needed |
| API security | threat-modeling, security-architecture-review | Apply STRIDE to endpoints |
| Classified data | classified-systems-security + core skills | Extension required |
| Compliance | compliance-awareness-and-mapping + core skills | Extension for regulatory contexts |
| Government ATO | security-authorization-and-accreditation + core skills | Extension for ATO/AIS |
| LLM / RAG / agent | llm-and-ai-security + threat-modeling | Extension for AI systems |
| Build pipeline / SBOM | supply-chain-security + threat-modeling | Extension for release/supply chain |
| Document security | documenting-threats-and-controls, muna/documentation-structure | Cross-faction |
Common Mistakes
❌ Loading All Skills at Once
Wrong: Load all 10 security-architect skills for every security task Right: Load only the skills your situation needs (use decision tree)
❌ Skipping Threat Modeling
Wrong: Jump straight to implementation for new security features Right: Always threat model first for new systems/features
❌ Using Core Skills for Specialized Contexts
Wrong: Use generic threat modeling for classified systems Right: Load classified-systems-security for MLS contexts
❌ Not Cross-Referencing Muna
Wrong: Write security docs without documentation structure skills Right: Load both ordis/documenting-threats + muna/documentation-structure
Examples
Example 1: Payment Processing System
User: "Design a payment processing microservice"
Your routing:
1. Recognize: New system + financial domain → security critical
2. Load: threat-modeling (identify payment-specific threats)
3. Load: secure-by-design-patterns (encryption, secrets management)
4. Load: security-controls-design (PCI-DSS controls)
5. Consider: compliance-awareness-and-mapping (PCI-DSS is compliance requirement)
Example 2: Simple Feature (No Security Needed)
User: "Add a favorites button to the UI"
Your routing:
1. Recognize: UI feature, uses existing auth, no new security surface
2. Decision: No security skills needed
3. Proceed with standard implementation
Example 3: Classified System Architecture
User: "Review architecture for system handling SECRET and UNCLASSIFIED data"
Your routing:
1. Recognize: Classified context (SECRET mentioned) + review task
2. Load: classified-systems-security (MLS patterns required)
3. Load: security-architecture-review (review process)
4. Load: threat-modeling (if threats not already modeled)
Example 4: Customer-Facing Chatbot with Tools
User: "Threat model our support chatbot — it reads tickets and can issue refunds"
Your routing:
1. Recognize: LLM + agentic + tool use + financial action
2. Load: llm-and-ai-security (OWASP LLM Top 10, agentic threats)
3. Load: threat-modeling (STRIDE spine, attack trees on tool calls)
4. Consider: security-controls-design (action-side controls, refund cap enforcement)
Example 5: SLSA-Aligned Build Pipeline
User: "Design our release pipeline to meet SLSA L2 and produce signed SBOMs"
Your routing:
1. Recognize: Supply chain + provenance + signing
2. Load: supply-chain-security (SLSA, SBOM, Sigstore)
3. Load: security-architecture-review (tooling alignment)
4. Consider: compliance-awareness-and-mapping (EO 14028 / EU CRA mapping if in scope)
Summary
This skill maps your situation → specific security skills to load.
- Identify your situation (new system, review, specialized context)
- Use decision tree to find applicable skills
- Load core skills for universal needs
- Add extension skills for specialized contexts
- Cross-reference Muna for documentation needs
- Don't load security skills when not needed
Meta-rule: When in doubt, start with threat-modeling.md. Threats drive everything else.
Security Architect Specialist Skills Catalog
After routing, load the appropriate specialist skill for detailed guidance:
Core Skills (Universal)
- threat-modeling.md - STRIDE analysis, attack trees, threat identification, security-critical systems analysis
- secure-by-design-patterns.md - Defense-in-depth, fail-secure design, least privilege, separation of concerns
- security-controls-design.md - Control selection, defense layering, encryption, secrets management
- security-architecture-review.md - Design review process, security gap analysis, architecture evaluation
- documenting-threats-and-controls.md - Security documentation, threat model writing, control documentation
Extension Skills (Specialized Contexts)
- llm-and-ai-security.md - OWASP LLM Top 10 (2025), MITRE ATLAS, prompt injection, agentic threats, model supply chain, RAG security
- supply-chain-security.md - SLSA v1.1, SBOM (CycloneDX 1.6, SPDX), Sigstore, in-toto, dependency confusion, build provenance
- classified-systems-security.md - Multi-level security (MLS), Bell-LaPadula, classified data handling, security clearances
- compliance-awareness-and-mapping.md - NIST CSF 2.0, ISO 27001:2022, PCI-DSS v4.0.1, SOC 2, GDPR, EU AI Act, NIS2, regulatory mapping
- security-authorization-and-accreditation.md - ATO/AIS processes, SSP/SAR, POA&M, FedRAMP, FISMA, government authorization