Which of the following is an example of a threat modeling technique?

Threat modeling is a proactive, structured process used to identify, enumerate, and prioritize potential threats and vulnerabilities in a system during the design phase. Attack surface analysis is a fundamental technique within this process. It involves identifying all the points (the "attack surface") where an attacker could attempt to interact with the system, enter data, or extract data. By analyzing the attack surface, security architects can understand the system's exposure to threats and design appropriate mitigations before development begins.

B. Vulnerability scanning is an automated security control used to find known weaknesses in existing systems, not a design-phase modeling technique.
C. Patch management is a reactive, operational process for applying updates to fix discovered vulnerabilities, not a method for threat identification.
D. Intrusion detection is a detective security control that monitors systems for malicious activity, rather than a proactive design and analysis technique.

1. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). (2016). Guide to Data-Centric System Threat Modeling (NIST Special Publication 800-154). Section 3.1, "Threat Modeling Process," outlines the steps of modeling, which include system characterization and threat identification. This inherently involves analyzing the system's interfaces and potential entry points, which constitutes attack surface analysis.

2. Cisco Systems, Inc. (2017). Cisco SAFE Reference Guide. Chapter 1, "Cisco SAFE Overview," discusses the importance of a threat-centric approach to security architecture. It emphasizes understanding the attack surface as a key element in designing secure places in the network (PINs) and implementing effective security capabilities.

3. Shostack, A. (2014). Threat Modeling: Designing for Security. Addison-Wesley Professional. Chapter 15, "Attack Surface," is dedicated to explaining how analyzing and reducing the attack surface is a core component of the threat modeling discipline to manage and mitigate security risks. (Note: While a book, this is a foundational, peer-reviewed text in the security engineering field).