---
type: "term"
title: "Bow-Tie Model"
description: "A risk model that represents risk as a structure with five elements: Threats (left side), Preventive Controls (left side), Central Event (knot), Mitigating Controls (right side), and Consequences (right side)."
resource: "tlctc:term:bow-tie-model"
tags:
  - "glossary"
---
# Bow-Tie Model

A risk model that represents risk as a structure with five elements: Threats (left side), Preventive Controls (left side), Central Event (knot), Mitigating Controls (right side), and Consequences (right side). TLCTC is anchored in the Bow-Tie model to enforce strict separation between cause and effect in cyber risk analysis. The model enforces temporal causality, prevents confusion between threats and outcomes, enables precise control placement, and reveals attack sequences as causal chains. The central event "Loss of Control" serves as the pivot point between threat realization and potential consequences.

**Reference:** §6 (The Bow-Tie Anchor), §6.1 (Structure and Vocabulary)

**Related reading:** [Basel operational risk × TLCTC Bow-Tie](https://www.tlctc.net/tlctc-banks-operational-risk-basel.html), [Why ORX must rethink the "cyber event"](https://www.tlctc.net/tlctc-orx-rethink-cyber-event.html), [TLCTC × Threat Modeling Manifesto](https://www.tlctc.net/tlctc-threat-modeling-manifesto.html), [Generic vulnerabilities — software & hardware failure](https://www.tlctc.net/tlctc-generic-vulnerabilities.html), [tlctc-bow-tie-causality.html](https://www.tlctc.net/tlctc-bow-tie-causality.html), [blog-tlctc-two-layer-framework.html](https://www.tlctc.net/blog-tlctc-two-layer-framework.html), [Why TLCTC does not need the "Hazard"](https://www.tlctc.net/tlctc-hazard-omission.html), [Agentic AI as consequence amplifier (right side of Bow-Tie)](https://www.tlctc.net/tlctc-agentic-ai-consequences.html)
