A formal approach for security pattern enforcement in software architecture

The use of security patterns has been recognized as effective in mitigating vulnerabilities in software systems. However, it is still not well understood how they can be applied systematically and effectively in concrete systems to achieve the best results. We present a formal approach based on the Alloy model checker to detect information disclosure vulnerabilities and enforce appropriate security patterns automatically. The approach helps improve the overall security posture of software systems while reducing the dependence on manual security analysis. We demonstrate the usability of our approach through the use case of a Smart Meter Gateway. The proposed approach is generic and constitutes a significant advancement toward systematic methods for designing secure software systems.