STRIDE threat-modeling builder on top of Yog.
Choreo.ThreatModel extends dataflow diagrams with security
semantics: trust boundaries, element classification, and automated
STRIDE threat generation.
When to use
Use Choreo.ThreatModel during security review, threat-modeling
sessions, or compliance audits. It automatically generates STRIDE
threats, flags unencrypted boundary crossings, and surfaces attack
paths from external entities to sensitive data stores.
Element types (per Microsoft Threat Modeling Tool)
:external_entity— user, browser, third-party system (outside your control):process— application, service, function (code you own):data_store— database, file, cache, queue (data at rest)
Trust boundaries
Trust boundaries are clusters that group elements by security domain. Data flows that cross a boundary are automatically flagged for elevated scrutiny.
Further reading
- STRIDE Model (Microsoft)
- Threat Modeling: Designing for Security (Shostack)
- OWASP Threat Modeling Cheat Sheet
- Data Flow Diagrams for Threat Modeling
Quick Start
model =
Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
|> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_trust_boundary("internet", label: "Internet", level: 0)
|> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_trust_boundary("app", label: "Application", level: 2)
|> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_trust_boundary("db", label: "Database Zone", level: 3)
|> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_external_entity(:user, label: "User", boundary: "internet")
|> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_process(:api, label: "API Gateway", boundary: "app")
|> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_data_store(:postgres, label: "Postgres", boundary: "db")
|> Choreo.ThreatModel.data_flow(:user, :api, label: "HTTPS request")
|> Choreo.ThreatModel.data_flow(:api, :postgres, label: "SQL query")
threats = Choreo.ThreatModel.Analysis.stride_threats(model)
dot = Choreo.ThreatModel.to_dot(model)Diagram
Summary
Functions
Adds a data store (database, file, cache, queue).
Adds an external entity (user, browser, third-party system).
Adds a process (application, service, function).
Defines a trust boundary (security zone).
Returns the trust boundary name for an element, or nil.
Checks whether a data flow crosses a trust boundary.
Creates a data-flow edge between two elements.
Returns all edges with their metadata as {from, to, weight, meta} tuples.
Returns all element IDs in the model.
Returns all elements of a given type.
Returns all data flows as {from, to, label} tuples.
Creates a new empty threat model.
Returns a theme for Choreo.ThreatModel.
Renders the threat model to DOT format.
Returns the raw Yog.Graph struct underpinning the model.
Renders the threat model to Mermaid.js flowchart syntax.
Renders the data flows in a threat model to a PlantUML sequence diagram string.
Renders the data flows in a threat model to a Mermaid sequence diagram string.
Collapses parallel edges into a simple Graph for algorithm analysis.
Returns the numeric trust level of an element's boundary, or nil.
Types
@type t() :: %Choreo.ThreatModel{ clusters: %{required(String.t()) => map()}, edge_meta: %{optional(Yog.Multi.Graph.edge_id()) => map()}, graph: Yog.Multi.Graph.t(), strict: boolean() }
Functions
Adds a data store (database, file, cache, queue).
Options
:sensitivity:retention:label(String.t/0):description(String.t/0):boundary(String.t/0):shape(atom/0):fillcolor(String.t/0):fontcolor(String.t/0):style(String.t/0):penwidth:image(String.t/0)
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.add_data_store(model, :db, label: "Postgres", sensitivity: :confidential)
iex> Choreo.ThreatModel.elements(model)
[:db]
iex> Map.get(model.graph.nodes, :db).element_type
:data_store
iex> Map.get(model.graph.nodes, :db).sensitivity
:confidentialDiagram
Adds an external entity (user, browser, third-party system).
Options
:label(String.t/0):description(String.t/0):boundary(String.t/0):shape(atom/0):fillcolor(String.t/0):fontcolor(String.t/0):style(String.t/0):penwidth:image(String.t/0)
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.add_external_entity(model, :user, label: "User")
iex> Choreo.ThreatModel.elements(model)
[:user]
iex> Map.get(model.graph.nodes, :user).element_type
:external_entity
iex> Map.get(model.graph.nodes, :user).label
"User"Diagram
Adds a process (application, service, function).
Options
:privilege:label(String.t/0):description(String.t/0):boundary(String.t/0):shape(atom/0):fillcolor(String.t/0):fontcolor(String.t/0):style(String.t/0):penwidth:image(String.t/0)
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.add_process(model, :api, label: "API", privilege: :admin)
iex> Choreo.ThreatModel.elements(model)
[:api]
iex> Map.get(model.graph.nodes, :api).element_type
:process
iex> Map.get(model.graph.nodes, :api).privilege
:adminDiagram
Defines a trust boundary (security zone).
Options
:label(String.t/0):level(integer/0):style(String.t/0):color(String.t/0):fillcolor(String.t/0)
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.add_trust_boundary(model, "dmz", label: "DMZ", level: 1)
iex> model.clusters["cluster_dmz"].label
"DMZ"
iex> model.clusters["cluster_dmz"].level
1
@spec boundary_of(t(), Yog.node_id()) :: String.t() | nil
Returns the trust boundary name for an element, or nil.
The internal cluster_ prefix is stripped so the returned name matches
the name originally passed to add_trust_boundary/3.
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> model = model
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_trust_boundary("app")
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_process(:api, boundary: "app")
iex> Choreo.ThreatModel.boundary_of(model, :api)
"app"
@spec crosses_boundary?(t(), Yog.node_id(), Yog.node_id()) :: boolean()
Checks whether a data flow crosses a trust boundary.
Returns false if either element has no assigned boundary, since a
crossing requires both sides to be in defined security zones.
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> model = model
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_trust_boundary("internet", level: 0)
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_trust_boundary("app", level: 2)
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_external_entity(:user, boundary: "internet")
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_process(:api, boundary: "app")
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_process(:worker, boundary: "app")
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.data_flow(:user, :api)
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.data_flow(:api, :worker)
iex> Choreo.ThreatModel.crosses_boundary?(model, :user, :api)
true
iex> Choreo.ThreatModel.crosses_boundary?(model, :api, :worker)
falseDiagram
Creates a data-flow edge between two elements.
Options
:label(String.t/0):protocol:encrypted(boolean/0) - The default value isfalse.
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> model = model
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_external_entity(:user)
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_process(:api)
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.data_flow(:user, :api, label: "request")
iex> Choreo.ThreatModel.flows(model)
[{:user, :api, "request"}]
iex> [{_, _, _, meta}] = Choreo.ThreatModel.edges_with_meta(model)
iex> meta.label
"request"
iex> meta.encrypted
falseDiagram
@spec edges_with_meta(t()) :: [{Yog.node_id(), Yog.node_id(), any(), map()}]
Returns all edges with their metadata as {from, to, weight, meta} tuples.
@spec elements(t()) :: [Yog.node_id()]
Returns all element IDs in the model.
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> model = model
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_external_entity(:user)
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_process(:api)
iex> Enum.sort(Choreo.ThreatModel.elements(model))
[:api, :user]
@spec elements_of_type(t(), atom()) :: [Yog.node_id()]
Returns all elements of a given type.
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> model = model
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_external_entity(:user)
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_process(:api)
iex> Choreo.ThreatModel.elements_of_type(model, :external_entity)
[:user]
iex> Choreo.ThreatModel.elements_of_type(model, :process)
[:api]
iex> Choreo.ThreatModel.elements_of_type(model, :data_store)
[]
@spec flows(t()) :: [{Yog.node_id(), Yog.node_id(), any()}]
Returns all data flows as {from, to, label} tuples.
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> model = model
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_external_entity(:user)
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_process(:api)
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.data_flow(:user, :api)
iex> Choreo.ThreatModel.flows(model)
[{:user, :api, ""}]
Creates a new empty threat model.
Options
:strict— iftrue,data_flow/4raises when an endpoint does not already exist. Defaultfalse(auto-creates missing elements as:process).
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> Choreo.ThreatModel.elements(model)
[]
iex> Choreo.ThreatModel.flows(model)
[]
@spec theme( atom(), keyword() ) :: Choreo.Theme.t()
Returns a theme for Choreo.ThreatModel.
Examples
iex> theme = Choreo.ThreatModel.theme(:default, graph_rankdir: :tb)
iex> theme.graph_rankdir
:tb
Renders the threat model to DOT format.
Options
:theme—:default,:dark, or aChoreo.Themestruct
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> model = model
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_external_entity(:user, label: "User")
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_process(:api, label: "API")
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.data_flow(:user, :api, label: "HTTPS")
iex> dot = Choreo.ThreatModel.to_dot(model)
iex> String.contains?(dot, "digraph")
true
iex> String.contains?(dot, "User")
true
iex> String.contains?(dot, "API")
true
Returns the raw Yog.Graph struct underpinning the model.
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> graph = Choreo.ThreatModel.to_graph(model)
iex> graph.kind
:directed
Renders the threat model to Mermaid.js flowchart syntax.
Options
:theme—:default,:dark,:warm,:forest,:ocean, or aChoreo.Themestruct:direction—:lr(default),:td,:rl,:bt
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> model = model
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_external_entity(:user, label: "User")
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_process(:api, label: "API")
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.data_flow(:user, :api, label: "HTTPS")
iex> mermaid = Choreo.ThreatModel.to_mermaid(model)
iex> String.contains?(mermaid, "graph LR")
true
Renders the data flows in a threat model to a PlantUML sequence diagram string.
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.add_external_entity(model, :user, label: "Customer")
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.add_process(model, :web_api, label: "Web API")
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.data_flow(model, :user, :web_api, label: "HTTPS login")
iex> puml = Choreo.ThreatModel.to_plantuml(model)
iex> String.contains?(puml, "@startuml")
true
iex> String.contains?(puml, "user -> web_api")
true
Renders the data flows in a threat model to a Mermaid sequence diagram string.
External entities render as actor, processes and data stores as participant.
Unencrypted flows crossing trust boundaries use dashed arrows (-->) to
visually flag insecure communication.
Options
No options are currently used, but the argument is reserved for future use.
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.add_external_entity(model, :user, label: "Customer")
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.add_process(model, :web_api, label: "Web API")
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.data_flow(model, :user, :web_api, label: "HTTPS login")
iex> seq = Choreo.ThreatModel.to_sequence(model)
iex> String.contains?(seq, "sequenceDiagram")
true
iex> String.contains?(seq, "actor user")
true
@spec to_simple_graph( t(), keyword() ) :: Yog.Graph.t()
Collapses parallel edges into a simple Graph for algorithm analysis.
@spec trust_level(t(), Yog.node_id()) :: integer() | nil
Returns the numeric trust level of an element's boundary, or nil.
Examples
iex> model = Choreo.ThreatModel.new()
iex> model = model
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_trust_boundary("dmz", level: 1)
...> |> Choreo.ThreatModel.add_process(:api, boundary: "dmz")
iex> Choreo.ThreatModel.trust_level(model, :api)
1