How do we start if we have zero `policy-as-code` today?

Start with two controls that bite the most: encryption-at-rest and public exposure. Write OPA rules for storage/network resources in Terraform, wire Conftest into PRs, and convert one high-traffic service to paved modules. Don’t boil the ocean—get one green pipeline producing evidence, then replicate.

Will this slow down our teams?

Done right, it speeds them up. Paved modules remove yak-shaving and guardrails prevent late-stage rework. The only delays you’ll see are on high-risk violations, and even those are transparent with waivers and expiry.

What if auditors won’t accept automated evidence?

Most SOC 2/HIPAA/GDPR auditors increasingly prefer machine-generated, timestamped logs and attestations over screenshots. Bring them in early, show the pipeline, and align on acceptable artifacts (SBOM, provenance, OPA logs). We’ve never had an auditor refuse signed, immutable evidence.

Do we need enterprise tools to do this?

No. You can ship this with open tooling: OPA/Conftest, Semgrep, Checkov, Cosign, Syft/Grype, Vault. If you’re on Terraform Cloud, Sentinel works too. The important part is consistency and where you place the checks (in PRs).

Security-compliance · Oct 29, 2025 · 10 minute read

Threat Modeling Without the Brake Pedal: Turning Policies into Guardrails, Checks, and Proofs

Bake threat modeling into modernization sprints without slowing delivery. Translate policies into code, push checks into the path, and auto-generate evidence auditors accept.

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Threat Modeling Without the Brake Pedal: Turning Policies into Guardrails, Checks, and Proofs

Key takeaways

Implementation checklist