Cloud Computing: How ThreatModeler Empowers AWS Cloud Architects to Build Secure Apps

Cybersecurity is a concern for all of us, but companies that must protect consumer privacy are frightened about the mounting cyber threats they face. However, the constant worry can end after reading this write-up.

When it comes to cybersecurity, ThreatModeler Software Inc. is the answer for tackling real-time threats, or preventing the possibility of a data breach or cyberattack. The company offers clients a solution that embeds security throughout the design, development, deployment and management of cloud and on-premise software development. This article will focus on the cloud development life cycle (CDLC).

ThreatModeler is a software company based in Jersey City, NJ with Archie Agarwal as the CEO. The cybersecurity firm is renowned for streamlining security initiatives by providing actionable outputs to address potential cyber threats within infrastructure, software, networks and devices within an organization.

Data is made more secure in Cloud Computing by way of security requirements that prevent unauthorized access to attack vectors within an IT ecosystem.

ThreatModeler improves upon cybersecurity efforts through the automation of threat identification across an enterprise. The platform enables teams to build visual process flow diagrams containing all the components for an AWS cloud architecture. Through its Threat Intelligence library – compiled from authoritative resources such as OWASP and AWS – it automatically pinpoints all the potential threats that can compromise the infrastructure and indicates security controls for mitigation.

IT architecture security is usually achieved through the full integration of existing development workflows and toolsets. CI/CD tools, such as Jira, integrate with ThreatModeler to create tickets to push threats and security requirements to the proper team member to address. Due to its bidirectional integration, Jira ensures DevSecOps teams are kept updated to ticket status changes. Once a Jira ticket is closed, ThreatModeler automatically marks the ticket as done.

ThreatModeler’s integration with AWS empowers cloud customers to create complete and accurate process flow diagrams that inform the management of risk related to CDLC.

ThreatModeler’s AWS Accelerator paves the way for users to build threat models based on their AWS architectures within minutes to secure the AWS live environment. ThreatModeler automatically analyzes the AWS architecture to build a visual representation of the resources involved. The output, created via AWS Accelerator, enables security architects to anticipate and prevent threats.

ThreatModeler keeps in sync with AWS virtual private clouds (VPCs) through its Drift feature. It takes an automatic inventory of changes in newly modified AWS architectures and alerts the user when steps are needed to place the threat model in sync. The AWS integration ensures that users keep up with components in the live environment and automatically creates new tasks in the control panel to address security needs.

Lastly, ThreatModeler integrates with AWS SSM, AWS IAM, and AWS Security Hub, enabling CSAs to enforce policy governance based on the least privilege principle of access. For instance, CSAs can review groups – generally or by individuals assigned to groups – to authorize or remove certain user access to stipulated resources under certain conditions.

ThreatModeler provides numerous benefits when it comes to cybersecurity and cloud computing. Developers can prioritize threats through data provided by ThreatModeler – with different views via its dashboard – and enact proper procedures to tackle various threats. Reporting helps teams across the organization to understand their security posture, and is delivered to CISOs for validation and signoff.

A benefit of using ThreatModeler also comes via its integration with AWS, enabling teams to simulate a real-time environment to envision “what if” scenarios for planned changes to an AWS environment. Gain an understanding of the impact before altering the actual AWS architecture. Finally, cases involving IoT-embedded medical devices that rely on local data centers, also known as edge computing, can be addressed effectively using ThreatModeler.

ThreatModeler is facilitating AWS cloud architects to build secure apps, as it has the groundwork and functionality required to do so. Out-of-the-box, cloud architects with little threat modeling know-how can build a diagram in under an hour. The learning curve for ThreatModeler is smooth, enabling security architects to focus on other “big picture” deployment aspects.  With reporting, CISOs can help C-Suite colleagues to understand their security posture. With many cybersecurity awards under its belt, such as being the best in the Cyber Security Excellence Awards for four years in a row (2017-2020), among many other accolades, ThreatModeler is a force to be reckoned with.