Product Security Design Review Framework
v.1.03
Establish Design Review Objectives:
Define the specific goals and scope of the design review.
Identify the critical security properties or principles to be evaluated, such as confidentiality, integrity, availability, authentication, authorization, non-repudiation, etc.
Determine the relevant security standards, regulations, or best practices to be considered.
Gather Design Artifacts:
Collect all relevant design artifacts, including system architecture diagrams, data flow diagrams, interface specifications, design documents, and any other supporting materials.
Ensure that the design artifacts are up-to-date and accurately reflect the current or proposed system design.
Review Team Selection:
Assemble a cross-functional review team with representatives from various disciplines, such as security experts, system architects, developers, operations personnel, and business stakeholders.
Ensure that the review team has the necessary expertise and knowledge to evaluate the design from different perspectives.
Design Review Methodology:
Establish a structured approach for conducting the design review, such as using a checklist, threat modeling, or a combination of techniques.
Develop a set of review criteria or questions based on security principles, threat models, and industry best practices.
Consider using frameworks like STRIDE (Spoofing, Tampering, Repudiation, Information Disclosure, Denial of Service, and Elevation of Privilege) or PASTA (Process for Attack Simulation and Threat Analysis) for threat modeling.
Design Walkthrough:
Conduct a thorough walkthrough of the system design with the review team.
Discuss the design decisions, security considerations, and any potential vulnerabilities or weaknesses identified.
Encourage open discussions and challenge assumptions to identify potential blind spots or oversight.
Security Control Evaluation:
Evaluate the security controls implemented in the design, such as authentication mechanisms, access controls, encryption techniques, logging and auditing, and incident response procedures.
Assess the effectiveness of the security controls in mitigating identified threats and vulnerabilities.
Identify any gaps or areas where additional controls may be required.
Risk Assessment:
Perform a risk assessment based on the identified vulnerabilities and weaknesses.
Prioritize risks based on their likelihood and potential impact.
Determine the appropriate risk treatment strategies (e.g., mitigate, accept, transfer, or avoid) for each identified risk.
Remediation and Recommendations:
Develop recommendations and remediation strategies to address identified vulnerabilities and weaknesses.
Propose design changes, additional security controls, or alternative architectures to mitigate risks.
Document the recommendations, along with their justifications and potential impact on the system.
Documentation and Reporting:
Document the design review process, findings, and recommendations in a comprehensive report.
Include relevant supporting materials, such as diagrams, screenshots, or code snippets, to illustrate the identified issues and proposed solutions.
Present the report to stakeholders and decision-makers for review and approval.
Continuous Improvement:
Establish a process for incorporating feedback and lessons learned from the design review.
Update the design review framework, checklists, or methodologies based on new threats, vulnerabilities, or industry best practices.
Conduct periodic design reviews throughout the system development lifecycle to ensure that security is continuously considered and addressed.
It's important to note that this framework should be tailored to your organization's specific needs, industry requirements, and the complexity of the systems or applications being reviewed. Additionally, fostering a culture of collaboration, open communication, and continuous learning is crucial for the successful implementation and effectiveness of the design review process.
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