Threat Modeling as Code

The "as Code" movement in DevOps extends naturally to threat modeling. Expressing threat models in code enables version control, automated analysis, and integration with development workflows. This approach transforms threat models from static documents to living artifacts that evolve with systems.

Threat model schemas define structured formats for expressing threats, assets, and controls in code. YAML or JSON formats integrate with existing development tools. Schema validation ensures consistency. Code review processes apply to threat model changes. This standardization enables tooling development and cross-team collaboration.

Automated threat model generation from existing artifacts reduces manual effort. API specifications can generate threat models for endpoint security. Infrastructure code reveals architectural threats. Data flow analysis tools create visual models from code. While generated models require human refinement, they provide comprehensive starting points.

Policy as code enables automated threat model validation. Organizations define security policies that threat models must satisfy. Automated checks verify that high-value assets have appropriate controls, that identified threats have mitigations, and that risk levels align with business requirements. This automation ensures consistent security standards across teams.