Delivering more Secure Software

Abstract

This paper is talking about Microsoft’s initiatives in delivering more secure software. The first part of the paper defines the Trustworthy Computing initiative and will highlight the security pillar of this initiative. I will explain the security framework called SD3+C and give some examples what we did in each part of this framework.

The second part highlights one specific element of the initiative called STRIDE threat modelling. Under impulse of the Trustworthy Computing initiative, each product development needs to go through STRIDE. We want to encourage designers in general to include threat modelling into the design process. The STRIDE model can be very helpful to achieve this. STRIDE should be seen as a two phase approach. In the first phase, designers will use the model to look to their architectures through the eyes of a hacker. The outcome will be a prioritized list of threats. In a second phase the designers need to mitigate this high priority threats. STRIDE will help them to include threat modelling into their design process and to ask the right questions.