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Rivac AI Labs
Security, Risk & Compliance

Security Architect

Security architecture reviews the underlying design of a system before an attacker exposes its flaws in production. This service builds threat models for new and existing systems, maps trust boundaries and data flows, and designs defense-in-depth controls so a single failure doesn't cascade into a breach. It's for teams shipping a new product, entering a regulated market, or realizing after the fact that "we'll add security later" already happened. The output isn't a slide deck of best practices, it's an architecture that's been pressure-tested against realistic attack paths, with a prioritized list of what to fix first.

This is a capability we deliver for you as a service, not a role we’re hiring for.

How We’d Approach This

A clear, staged plan, not a black box

These are the service-specific steps inside our six-step process.

  1. 1

    Diagnose the system architecture and data flows to build a threat model against realistic adversaries and abuse cases.

  2. 2

    Pilot the proposed controls on the single highest-risk trust boundary before touching the rest of the system.

  3. 3

    Review the threat model and control priorities with engineering leadership to align on what ships now versus later.

  4. 4

    Document the hardened architecture and defense-in-depth controls so the team can build against it going forward.

What You Get

Deliverables from this engagement

  • Threat model covering trust boundaries, data flows, and attack paths
  • Prioritized architecture remediation roadmap
  • Defense-in-depth control design for critical systems
  • Architecture decision records engineering can build against

Six Ways We Could Architect This

Different engagement, different build, pick the shape that fits

There’s more than one way to deliver on this service. Browse a few of the ways we’d structure the work, depending on your speed, budget, and integration needs.

Read all 6 architectures as text

Lean Fast-Start Architecture

System Intake

  • System Architecture Diagram
  • Data Flow Walkthrough
  • Stakeholder Kickoff Interview

Threat Modeling Session

  • Trust Boundaries Mapped
  • Abuse Cases Brainstormed
  • Threat Modeling Tool Session

Findings

  • Prioritized Findings List
  • Highest Risk Boundary Identified
  • Findings Shared With Engineering

Remediation

  • Pilot Control on Top Risk Boundary
  • Engineering Applies Fix
  • Fix Verified Against Threat Model

Cloud-Native / Managed Services Architecture

Architecture Inputs

  • Cloud Reference Architecture
  • Managed Identity Provider Config
  • Existing Control Inventory

Managed Defense in Depth

  • Managed WAF
  • Managed KMS for Secrets
  • Network Security Groups
  • Cloud Security Posture Tool

Design Review

  • Threat Model Against Managed Controls
  • Trust Boundary Documentation

Deliverables

  • Architecture Decision Records
  • Remediation Roadmap
  • Engineering Leadership Sign Off

Event-Driven & Automation-First Architecture

Triggers

  • Architecture Diagram Changed in Repo
  • New Trust Boundary Detected
  • New Service Onboarded

Automated Pipeline

  • CI Pipeline Runs Threat Model as Code Check
  • Automated Diff Against Baseline Model
  • Security Architect Notified

Review and Decision

  • Ticket Created in Tracker
  • Architect Reviews Flagged Change
  • Control Design Updated

Outcome

  • Updated Threat Model Committed
  • Engineering Notified of New Controls
  • Baseline Model Refreshed

Enterprise-Grade & Compliance-Ready Architecture

Governance Structure

  • Architecture Review Board
  • Risk Register
  • Security Steering Committee

Layered Controls

  • Defense in Depth Control Design
  • Redundant Control Layers per Boundary
  • Compensating Controls for Legacy Systems

Formal Sign Off

  • Board Sign Off Gate
  • Audit Trail of Architecture Decisions
  • Exception Register for Deferred Fixes

Compliance Mapping

  • Mapped to SOC 2 and ISO 27001 Controls
  • Evidence Package for Auditors
  • Continuous Control Monitoring

AI-Augmented, Human-in-the-Loop Architecture

Architecture and Code Inputs

  • System Architecture Diagram
  • Codebase and Infra as Code
  • Threat Intelligence Feed

AI Threat Modeling Engine

  • AI Maps Trust Boundaries and Data Flows
  • AI Suggests Likely Attack Paths
  • AI Drafts Recommended Controls

Security Architect Approval Gate

  • Architect Reviews AI Threat Model
  • Architect Validates Attack Paths
  • Architect Signs Off on Control Set

Finalized Output

  • Approved Threat Model Published
  • Rejected Path Sent Back to AI
  • Engineering Builds Against Approved Model

Integration-Heavy / Ecosystem-Connected Architecture

Client Ecosystem

  • CI CD Pipeline
  • Cloud Provider APIs
  • Ticketing System
  • SIEM Platform

Architecture Practice Core

  • Threat Modeling Workspace
  • Architecture Diagramming Tool

Two Way Sync

  • Findings Pushed to Ticketing
  • Control Coverage Synced to SIEM
  • GRC Platform Evidence Sync

Downstream Consumers

  • Engineering Backlog
  • Compliance Evidence Repository
  • Executive Risk Dashboard

More in Security, Risk & Compliance

Ready to get started?

Tell us what you’re trying to get done and we’ll help you find the highest-leverage place to start, scoped small enough to prove itself before you commit to anything bigger.

Talk to us about Security Architect

Most engagements like this start as a $500–$2,500 pilot, see full pricing.

Questions? Book a free call