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AAT-12: AI Threat Modeling & Risk Assessment

AAT 5 — Medium Govern

Mechanisms exist to conduct Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Technologies (AAT)-specific threat modeling and risk assessments to address the following criteria across the lifecycle of the AAT: (1) Attack surfaces; (2) Adversarial threats; and (3) Abuse / misuse scenarios.

Renumbered: Formerly AAT-02.4 in SCF 2025.4.

Code reused: In SCF 2025.4 and earlier, AAT-12 was AI & Autonomous Technologies Intellectual Property Infringement Protections. That control is now AAT-18.

Control Question: Does the organization conduct Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Technologies (AAT)-specific threat modeling and risk assessments to address the following criteria across the lifecycle of the AAT: (1) Attack surfaces; (2) Adversarial threats; and (3) Abuse / misuse scenarios?

General (1)
Framework Mapping Values
MPA Content Security Program 5.3.1 OR-5.0

Capability Maturity Model

Level 0 — Not Performed

Practices are non-existent, based on the inability to demonstrate an implemented and operational capability. A reasonable person would conclude the control is not being performed.

Level 1 — Performed Informally

Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Technology (AAT) domain capabilities are ad hoc and inconsistent. Capability criteria associated with this control may include: ▪ Policies, standards & procedures associated with AAT domain capabilities provide limited coverage due to the depth and breadth of the existing documentation. ▪ AAT-related processes are expected to follow the organization's existing processes (e.g., incident response, asset management, change control and risk assessments). ▪ No formal Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team exists to provide AAT oversight, where the Chief Information Officer (CIO), or similar function, governs technology decisions what is acceptable for AAT within the organization.

Level 2 — Planned & Tracked

Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Technology (AAT) capabilities are requirements-driven, but are not standardized across the entity (e.g., local/regional level consistency). Capability criteria associated with this control reasonably expect the following criteria to exist: ▪ Policies and standards associated with AAT domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with AAT domain capabilities are documented and maintained by process owners. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel work with business stakeholders and process owners to appropriately scope and reasonably implement cybersecurity and data protection controls associated with AAT domain capabilities to address applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). ▪ Artificial Intelligence (AI)-related controls are primarily administrative and preventative in nature (e.g., policies, standards and procedures & guidelines). ▪ Asset management may be a defined function (e.g., team or department) or assigned as an additional duty to existing IT and/or cybersecurity personnel.

Level 3 — Well Defined

Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Technology (AAT) capabilities are standardized across the entity for applicability to People, Processes, Technologies, Data and/or Facilities (PPTDF) to ensure consistency for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). Capability criteria associated with this control reasonably expect the following criteria to exist: ▪ Policies and standards associated with AAT domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with AAT domain capabilities are well-documented and kept current by process owners. ▪ An Artificial Intelligence Governance (AIG) team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain AAT domain capabilities. ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of AI governance, risk management and compliance operations (e.g., dedicated AI governance platform). ▪ The entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function, works with business stakeholders and process owners to appropriately scope and reasonably implement cybersecurity and data protection controls associated with AAT domain capabilities to address Minimum Compliance Requirements (MCR) (e.g., applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements) and Discretionary Security Requirements (DSR) (e.g., entity-required controls). ▪ An implemented and operational capability exists to conduct AAT-specific threat modeling and risk assessments to address the following criteria across the lifecycle of the AAT: (1) Attack surfaces; (2) Adversarial threats; and (3) Abuse / misuse scenarios.

Level 4 — Quantitatively Controlled

Utilize SCR-CMM Level 3 criteria definitions: ▪ There are no defined Level 4 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a quantitatively-controlled process is not necessary to operationalize this control. ▪ While it may be possible to develop “metrics-driven” capabilities for this control, the criteria would be organization-specific to define.

Level 5 — Continuously Improving

Utilize SCR-CMM Level 3 or Level 4 (if available) criteria definitions: ▪ There are no defined Level 5 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a continuously-improving process is not necessary to operationalize this control. ▪ Level 5 capabilities should be considered “world-class” where the control builds on Level 4 capabilities, but are continuously improving through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Learning (ML) technologies. ▪ While it may be possible to develop responsive capabilities for this control through the use of AI and/or ML technologies, the criteria would be organization-specific to define.

Assessment Objectives

  1. AAT-12_A01 Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Technologies (AAT)-specific threat modeling addresses the following criteria across the lifecycle of the AAT: (1) Attack surfaces; (2) Adversarial threats; and (3) Abuse / misuse scenarios.
  2. AAT-12_A02 Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Technologies (AAT)-specific risk assessments address the following criteria across the lifecycle of the AAT: (1) Attack surfaces; (2) Adversarial threats; and (3) Abuse / misuse scenarios.

Evidence Requirements

E-AAT-06 Impact Assessments for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Technologies (AAT)

Documented evidence of impact assessments of proposed Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Technologies (AAT) on individuals, groups, communities, organizations and society.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Autonomous Technologies Governance

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • Basic threat assessment before deploying AI tools

Small

  • AI threat assessment checklist
  • Document identified risks before deployment

Medium

  • Formal AI threat modeling process
  • STRIDE or similar methodology applied to AI systems

Large

  • AI-specific threat modeling program
  • Risk assessment integrated into AI development lifecycle

Enterprise

  • Enterprise AI threat modeling framework
  • Automated risk scoring for AI deployments
  • Red team exercises for AI systems
  • AI risk register

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