ICS Threat Modeling Using CAD Infrastructure and Security Properties
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current threat modeling and threat intelligence techniques for industrial control systems (ICS) are inefficient, non-scalable, and difficult to interpret, particularly for infrastructure managed by SCADA or DCS systems, due to reliance on manual processes and general-purpose software, leading to duplication of efforts and suboptimal outputs.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution leverages an existing CAD model of ICS infrastructure to automatically generate threat models and intelligence dashboards by adding security properties to electronic components and querying a threat database, producing visual outputs like diagrams and reports to aid in threat identification and interpretation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual processes and general-purpose software are used for threat modeling in ICS, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but productivity and efficiency deteriorate due to time-consuming operations and duplication of efforts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical processes with automated computer-based systems. The threat modeling process is automated through software that systematically processes ICS models, eliminates manual spreadsheet work, and generates threat assessments automatically, thereby improving efficiency while maintaining adaptability through configurable parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service threat modeling by automatically processing ICS models and generating threat assessments without requiring manual intervention for each assessment. The automated system serves itself by systematically applying threat modeling methodologies to infrastructure models, reducing duplication of efforts across multiple assessments.
2Productivity
If automated threat modeling systems are implemented, then productivity and efficiency are improved, but device complexity increases due to integration requirements and system architecture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal threat modeling system that can handle multiple ICS infrastructure types and threat scenarios through a single platform. The system performs multiple functions including automated threat identification, risk assessment, and report generation, thereby improving efficiency without proportionally increasing complexity through standardized multi-functional architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the threat modeling process into distinct modular components: ICS model processing, threat database queries, risk assessment algorithms, and report generation. This segmentation allows each component to be independently developed and maintained, managing overall system complexity while achieving high productivity through automated workflow integration.
3Measurement precision
If detailed threat models are generated for comprehensive security assessment, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to information overload and difficulty in interpretation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and highlights only the most critical threat information from comprehensive threat models. The system identifies and presents key security risks, vulnerable components, and recommended mitigations separately from detailed technical data, thereby maintaining measurement precision while improving ease of operation through selective information presentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms detailed threat model data into visual representations and structured formats that add dimensional context. By organizing threats hierarchically and presenting them through multiple visualization dimensions, the system maintains comprehensive analysis precision while improving interpretability through enhanced information presentation.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, techniques are provided for improved security threat modeling and threat intelligence for infrastructure managed by ICSs. The techniques may leverage an existing model of an ICS created in a CAD application, add to the model security properties specifying configuration of respective electronic components of the ICS, and analyze the resulting combination, together with information from a threat database to automatically generate output such as a threat model diagram, threat model report or an interactive threat intelligence dashboard. A visualization of the output may be displayed together with, or include, a graphical rendering of the infrastructure managed to aid in its interpretation.