Threat Assessment & Remediation Analysis (TARA): Methodology Description Version 1.0
Jackson Wynn, Joseph Whitmore, Geoff Upton, Lindsay Spriggs, Dan McKinnon, Richard McInnes, Richard D. Graubart, Lauren Clausen · 2011
Abstract : Mission Assurance Engineering (MAE) is the subdiscipline of Enterprise Systems Engineering (ESE) and is intended to provide mission assurance against the advanced persistent threat (APT). The APT uses an evolving set of tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to establish and maintain a foothold in the enterprise's information infrastructure, and to exploit that foothold to ex-filtrate large volumes of sensitive information, to corrupt mission-critical information, and/or to deny or degrade mission capabilities. This report describes the Threat Assessment & Remediation Analysis (TARA) methodology, which applies MAE to systems and acquisitions. TARA is a methodology for identifying and assessing cyber threats and selecting countermeasures effective at mitigating those threats. When applied in conjunction with a Crown Jewels Analysis (CJA) or other means for assessing mission impact, CJA and TARA together provide for the identification, assessment, and security enhancement of mission critical assets, which is the cornerstone of mission assurance.