Attack Steps
An Attack Step is a single discrete action an attacker takes as part of an Attack Path. Breaking attack paths into steps enables granular feasibility analysis and reuse across multiple paths.
List View
Attack steps are reached from an attack path in the Threat Library (Libraries → Threat Library). The Attack Steps list shows every step in the library.
The table shows each step’s Attack Step (its name, with the auto-generated AS-xxx reference underneath), Feasibility, Attack Paths (reference chips), and an Actions column. Click the name to open the detail page.
- Create: click Add attack step in the header. The New Attack Step dialog has a required Name plus optional Example, the five attack-potential factors (with a running Attack potential total and its feasibility band), ATM tactic (where the step sits in the Auto-ISAC Automotive Threat Matrix), and Keywords. The reference is auto-generated; there is no reference input.
- Delete — click the delete icon in the Actions column; a confirmation dialog appears before permanent removal.
Detail Page
Click a step’s name in the list to open its detail page. A Return to Attack Steps link navigates back to the list.
Details
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Reference | Auto-generated identifier (e.g. AS-001) |
| Name | Descriptive title of the attack action (required) |
| ATM ID | The step’s ATM tactic from the Auto-ISAC Automotive Threat Matrix, if set |
| Example | Illustrative example of the step |
| Feasibility | The five attack-potential values, shown by their labels (e.g. ET ≤ 1 month · SE Proficient · KoIC Confidential · WoO Easy · Eq Specialized) |
| Attack potential | The step’s total points, or Not scored |
There is no Description field. Keywords can be set in the create/edit dialog but are not displayed on the detail page.
Attack Potential Factors
Each step carries five ISO/SAE 21434 attack-potential factors, entered as point values (higher points = harder for the attacker):
| Factor | What it measures | Point values |
|---|---|---|
| ET (Elapsed Time) | Time required for this step | ≤ 1 day (0) / ≤ 1 week (1) / ≤ 1 month (4) / ≤ 6 months (17) / > 6 months (19) |
| SE (Specialist Expertise) | Skill level needed | Layman (0) / Proficient (3) / Expert (6) / Multiple experts (8) |
| KoIC (Knowledge of Item/Component) | Familiarity with the target component | Public (0) / Restricted (3) / Confidential (7) / Strictly confidential (11) |
| WoO (Window of Opportunity) | Accessibility of the target | Unlimited (0) / Easy (1) / Moderate (4) / Difficult (10) |
| Eq (Equipment) | Tools required | Standard (0) / Specialized (4) / Bespoke (7) / Multiple bespoke (9) |
Points add up into a feasibility band: 13 points or fewer is High, 14 to 19 is Medium, 20 to 24 is Low, and 25 or more is Very Low. Feasibility is aggregated per attack path at scoring time (see How feasibility works).
Attack Paths
Tab listing the Attack Paths that include this step. Click a path’s ID to navigate to the Attack Path detail page.
Editing
Click Edit on the detail page to open the step in a modal form dialog. Click Save Changes to persist or Cancel to discard.