Threat Model Analysis for monicahq/monica

Threat: Weak or Default Credentials

Threat: Weak or Default Credentials
- Description: An attacker attempts to log in to the Monica instance using common default credentials (e.g., admin/admin) or easily guessable passwords. They might use brute-force or dictionary attacks.
- Impact: Complete compromise of the Monica instance. The attacker gains full access to all stored personal data, can modify or delete it, and potentially use the compromised instance as a pivot point for further attacks.
- Affected Component: Authentication Module (specifically, the login functionality and user credential storage).
- Risk Severity: Critical
- Mitigation Strategies:
  - Developers: Enforce strong password policies during installation and user creation. Prevent the use of default credentials in production. Implement account lockout after multiple failed login attempts. Consider offering and encouraging two-factor authentication (2FA).
  - Users: Immediately change default credentials upon installation. Choose a strong, unique password. Enable 2FA if available.

Threat: Unpatched Monica Vulnerability Exploitation

Threat: Unpatched Monica Vulnerability Exploitation
- Description: An attacker exploits a known, but unpatched, vulnerability in a specific version of Monica. This could be a vulnerability specific to Monica's logic, or a vulnerability in a dependency that Monica uses (but not a general web vulnerability like XSS). The attacker might use publicly available exploit code or develop their own.
- Impact: Varies depending on the vulnerability. Could range from data leakage to complete system compromise, including data modification, deletion, or denial of service.
- Affected Component: Depends on the specific vulnerability. Could be any part of the application, including core modules, API endpoints, or third-party libraries used by Monica.
- Risk Severity: High to Critical (depending on the vulnerability)
- Mitigation Strategies:
  - Developers: Maintain a robust vulnerability disclosure program. Issue security advisories and patches promptly. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing. Keep dependencies up-to-date.
  - Users: Subscribe to Monica's security advisories. Apply updates and patches as soon as they are released. Consider using a system that automatically checks for and applies updates (if available and secure).

Threat: Compromised API Keys

Threat: Compromised API Keys
- Description: An attacker obtains a valid API key for a Monica instance, either through social engineering, phishing, finding it in exposed code (e.g., a public GitHub repository), or by exploiting a vulnerability that leaks the key.
- Impact: The attacker gains full access to the Monica data via the API, bypassing the web interface and potentially any 2FA in place on the web interface. They can read, modify, or delete all data.
- Affected Component: API Module, Authentication Module (related to API key handling).
- Risk Severity: Critical
- Mitigation Strategies:
  - Developers: Implement secure storage for API keys (e.g., environment variables, secrets management systems). Provide mechanisms for API key rotation. Log API usage and monitor for suspicious activity.
  - Users: Never store API keys in plain text or commit them to version control. Use environment variables or a secure configuration file. Regularly rotate API keys. If you suspect an API key has been compromised, revoke it immediately.