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Security Risk Model

This document outlines the risk assessment methodology and framework used to evaluate security risks for the Secure CINC Auditor Kubernetes Container Scanning solution.

Risk Assessment Methodology

Our security risk assessment follows a structured methodology:

  1. Identify Assets: Identify the key assets and components being protected
  2. Threat Modeling: Identify potential threats to those assets
  3. Vulnerability Analysis: Evaluate vulnerabilities in the system
  4. Risk Calculation: Calculate risk based on likelihood and impact
  5. Mitigation Strategies: Define controls to reduce identified risks
  6. Residual Risk Assessment: Evaluate remaining risk after mitigation

Risk Classification Framework

Likelihood Ratings

Rating Description Criteria
Very Low Highly unlikely to occur Requires advanced capabilities, multiple failures of controls, or insider knowledge
Low Unlikely but possible Requires specialized knowledge, deliberate action, and partial control failures
Medium Reasonably possible Could occur with moderate effort, common security mistakes, or partial controls
High Likely to occur Could occur with minimal effort, using known techniques, or basic security knowledge
Very High Almost certain to occur Will occur with basic capabilities, minimal security knowledge, or common attack patterns

Impact Ratings

Rating Description Criteria
Very Low Minimal impact No sensitive data exposure, minimal operational disruption, easily remediated
Low Limited impact Minor sensitive data exposure, limited operational impact, remediated with routine measures
Medium Moderate impact Moderate sensitive data exposure, noticeable operational impact, requires formal response
High Significant impact Significant sensitive data exposure, substantial operational disruption, requires incident response
Very High Severe impact Critical sensitive data exposure, severe operational disruption, significant business impact

Risk Matrix

Likelihood/Impact Very Low Low Medium High Very High
Very Low Minimal Minimal Low Low Medium
Low Minimal Low Medium Medium High
Medium Low Medium Medium High High
High Low Medium High High Critical
Very High Medium High High Critical Critical

Risk Acceptance Thresholds

Risk Level Description Required Action
Minimal Acceptable risk No action required, routine monitoring
Low Generally acceptable risk Standard controls, regular review
Medium Attention required Enhanced controls, documented mitigation
High Significant risk Substantial controls, formal risk acceptance
Critical Unacceptable risk Must be mitigated before deployment

Assets Under Evaluation

The key assets evaluated in our risk assessment include:

  1. Target Containers: The containers being scanned
  2. Kubernetes API Server: The API interface for Kubernetes operations
  3. Service Account Tokens: Authentication credentials
  4. Scanner Components: Software components performing scanning
  5. Scan Results: Output data from scanning operations
  6. Kubernetes RBAC: Authorization configuration

Threat Actors and Capabilities

Our risk assessment considers various threat actors:

  1. External Attackers: Actors without internal access
  2. Malicious Insiders: Actors with some level of legitimate access
  3. Compromised CI/CD Systems: Build systems under attacker control
  4. Compromised Cluster Components: Kubernetes components under attacker control

Risk Categories

Risks are categorized into the following areas:

  1. Authentication and Authorization Risks: Related to access control
  2. Container Security Risks: Related to container isolation and integrity
  3. Operational Risks: Related to scanning operations
  4. Data Risks: Related to scan data and results
  5. Infrastructure Risks: Related to Kubernetes and underlying infrastructure

Risk Evaluation Process

Each scanning approach undergoes a systematic risk evaluation process:

  1. Component Identification: Identify all components and interfaces
  2. Privilege Analysis: Analyze required permissions and access levels
  3. Attack Surface Mapping: Map potential attack vectors
  4. Threat Scenario Development: Create realistic attack scenarios
  5. Control Evaluation: Assess existing security controls
  6. Gap Analysis: Identify control gaps and weaknesses
  7. Risk Determination: Calculate final risk ratings

Documentation Standards

Risk assessment documentation includes:

  1. Risk Identification: Clear description of each risk
  2. Likelihood and Impact: Ratings with justification
  3. Existing Controls: Currently implemented mitigations
  4. Gaps: Identified control weaknesses
  5. Recommended Mitigations: Additional controls needed
  6. Residual Risk: Expected risk level after mitigations
  7. Acceptance Criteria: Requirements for accepting residual risk