uhkamallin

Uhkamallin is the genitive form of the Finnish noun uhkamalli, typically translated as "threat model." In information security and risk assessment contexts, a threat model is a structured representation of potential threats to a system, its data, and its users, used to understand security risks and guide mitigations. The term appears in Finnish technical writing as uhkamallin when referring to a specific threat model, and as uhkamallien in the plural possessive.

A threat model outlines what needs protection (assets), who might threaten it (threat actors), how protection could be bypassed (attack vectors and surfaces), and where weaknesses may lie (vulnerabilities). It also considers existing safeguards (controls) and the potential impact and likelihood of threats, to prioritize risk mitigation. The practice supports decision making in system design, incident response, and compliance efforts, and is commonly integrated into the secure development lifecycle.

In Finnish usage, uhkamallin often appears in phrases such as "uhkamallin analyysi" (analysis of the threat model) or "uhkamallin päivitys" (update of the threat model). The concept aligns with international approaches to threat modeling and frequently references frameworks like STRIDE or PASTA, adapted to local terminology and practices.

See also threat modeling, information security, risk assessment, secure development lifecycle.