Draft — version 0.1. This canvas is still in development and has not been approved. The page is deliberately kept out of the menu — feel free to share the link, but read it as a proposal.

Foundation · week 4 · lesson block 4

STRIDE-light Canvas

Threat modelling as a shared design language, on a single A3. Six questions asked of the same system — in plain language, so a non-technical student can ask them just as well. The canvas builds on the asset numbers from week 1 and delivers the top-3 threats that block 5 uses to fill the traceability matrix.

A36 questions50 minutesteams of 3–4tech & non-techfollows week 1

01 The canvas

One sheet, three bands: first the system, then the six questions, then what you do with them. Click the image for full resolution.

Blank STRIDE-light Canvas on A3 with six threat questions in three bands — The working and hand-in format. Print on A3, fill in with sticky notes or a marker.

Download A3 (PDF, 2 pages)Page 1 is blank for printing, page 2 is the completed teacher reference.

02 How to read it

Top · What are we looking at

The system in at most six blocks — people, places where data lives, parties outside your own organisation — and the trust boundaries between them, with the asset numbers that cross such a boundary.

Middle · The six questions

STRIDE in plain language: impersonating, changing unnoticed, denying afterwards, looking in, being down, gaining more rights. Every question is asked of the same picture, and every answer notes who, what and which asset number.

Bottom · What we do with it

Three threats you tackle now: measure, requirement number, and how you would notice it going wrong. Next to it, the strip for what you deliberately left empty or assumed.

Two things keep the canvas light enough for 50 minutes. Not every field has to be full — an empty field with a reason is an answer too, and that reason belongs in the strip at the bottom right. And R and D are not technical questions: “can we tell afterwards who did what?” and “what do people do when this is down for a day?” are about process and behaviour, and are exactly where non-technical team members come in.

03 What it connects to

The canvas does not stand alone: it inherits the asset numbers from week 1 and delivers the requirements that get their design choice in block 5. The link is again in the numbers — what was A1 in week 1 stays A1 here.

Week 1 · block 9Security Context Canvasassets A1, A2 … + abuse cases
Week 4 · block 3Architecture sketchthe system in at most six blocks
Week 4 · block 4STRIDE-light canvassix questions → top-3 threats
Week 4 · block 5Traceability matrixrequirement → design choice → dossier

04 Want to weigh in?

The canvas is still a proposal — feedback on the wording of the questions, the bands or the case is welcome. Use the feedback button in the corner, or get in touch. contact