EFF Threat Modeling Security Check

Audit your digital exposure using the Electronic Frontier Foundation framework. This EFF threat modeling security check evaluates risks, tightens device permissions, and secures sensitive personal data.

5 time blocks, 25 minutes in total.

Time blocks

Asset Identification: 5 min
List sensitive photos, documents, and accounts stored on your device
Adversary & Consequence Assessment: 5 min
Identify potential threats and evaluate the impact of data exposure
Passcode & Encryption Verification: 5 min
Verify full-disk encryption and set strong alphanumeric passcodes
App Permissions Audit: 5 min
Revoke unnecessary app access to camera, mic, and location
Update & Backup Review: 5 min
Confirm operating system updates and run an encrypted backup

About this routine

The Electronic Frontier Foundation established threat modeling as a practical security framework for everyday digital safety. Rather than trying to protect against every theoretical cyber threat, an EFF threat modeling security check focuses your defense on what actually matters to you. You define your critical digital assets, identify plausible adversaries, and measure potential consequences before changing settings.

Security measures work best when tailored to realistic risks. Implementing heavy safeguards against unlikely threats often creates unnecessary friction, leading people to abandon security practices altogether. This structured review steps through asset mapping, privilege reduction, and system hardening so you retain control over your digital personal space.

Running this assessment every few months ensures your privacy protections match your evolving digital habits. By auditing permissions, passcodes, and encrypted backups in one deliberate sitting, you convert abstract cybersecurity advice into a clear checklist.

Why this routine works

Focuses security efforts on real threats rather than abstract anxiety
Reduces unwanted app tracking and unnecessary background permissions
Ensures personal files and login credentials remain encrypted
Creates a predictable maintenance schedule for device updates and backups

FAQ

What is an EFF threat modeling security check?

It is a systematic assessment framework created by the Electronic Frontier Foundation to help individuals identify digital assets, evaluate realistic risks, and implement targeted defenses.

How often should you perform a threat modeling audit?

Performing this review every three to six months keeps app permissions, device locks, and system backups aligned with your current security needs.

What are the five core questions of EFF threat modeling?

The framework asks: What do you want to protect? Who do you want to protect it from? How likely is the threat? How bad are the consequences? How much trouble are you willing to go through to prevent it?

Sources

Surveillance Self-Defense: Your Security Plan, Electronic Frontier Foundation