Security Brutalism Implementation Guide

Note: The program page was recently updated for clarity and to make the program more actionable. If you are looking for the original program page, it can be found here.

Core Philosophy

Security Brutalism prioritizes function over form, simplicity over complexity, and resilience over convenience. Like brutalist architecture, it's unadorned, direct, and built to endure attacks. The approach accepts short-term inconvenience to eliminate long-term chaos and risk.

Foundation Principles

1. Access is earned, never assumed - Zero trust by default.
2. Everything is auditable - No hidden assumptions or black boxes.
3. Systems fail securely - Default to deny, not permit.
4. Security is infrastructure - Built-in, not bolted-on.
5. Simplicity enables security - Fewer components, fewer failure points.

Implementation Framework

Phase 1: Foundation

Objective: Establish baseline security posture.

• Asset Inventory: Catalog all systems, data, and access points.
• Risk Assessment: Identify critical assets and primary threat vectors.
• Control Gap Analysis: Map existing controls against fundamental requirements.
• Prioritization: Rank gaps by risk impact and implementation difficulty.

Phase 2: Core Controls

Objective: Implement non-negotiable security fundamentals.

Identity & Access Management

• Deploy universal MFA (no exceptions for any user or service).
• Implement least privilege access with quarterly reviews.
• Automate account deprovisioning after 30 days inactivity.
• Enable just-in-time access where feasible.

Infrastructure Security

• Define all infrastructure as code with peer review requirements.
• Eliminate manual production access - automation only.
• Apply security baselines (CIS benchmarks) automatically.
• Implement immutable infrastructure patterns.

Application Security

• Remove all secrets from code repositories.
• Deploy centralized secrets management (Vault/KMS).
• Require signed builds and reproducible deployments.
• Enforce security scanning in CI/CD pipelines.

Monitoring & Response

• Centralize logging with write-once storage for critical events.
• Deploy endpoint detection with automated response triggers.
• Create real-time alerting for privilege escalation and data access.
• Establish 24/7 security operations capability.

Phase 3: Hardening

Objective: Eliminate security gaps and strengthen defenses.

• Network Segmentation: Implement zero trust network architecture.
• Configuration Management: Deploy continuous drift detection and remediation.
• Vulnerability Management: Automate patching with tested rollback procedures.
• Backup Strategy: Ensure air-gapped, regularly tested backup systems.

Operational Rhythm

Daily Operations

• Review security alerts and triage incidents.
• Monitor automated security control execution.
• Validate critical system integrity.

Weekly Cadence

• Conduct access reviews for high-privilege accounts.
• Analyze security metrics and false positive trends.
• Update threat intelligence feeds and detection rules.

Monthly Reviews

• Generate executive security scorecard.
• Review and update security baselines.
• Conduct tabletop incident response exercises.

Quarterly Assessments

• Execute comprehensive access privilege reviews.
• Perform red team or penetration testing exercises.
• Update incident response procedures based on lessons learned.
• Reassess threat landscape and adjust controls accordingly.

Key Performance Metrics

Track these metrics to measure program effectiveness:

• Access Control: MFA coverage (target: 100%), privileged account ratio (target: <5%).
• Infrastructure: Systems managed as code (target: 100%), configuration drift incidents (target: 0).
• Secrets Management: Exposed secrets in past 30 days (target: 0).
• Incident Response: Mean time to detection (target: <1 hour), mean time to containment (target: <4 hours).
• Vulnerability Management: Critical vulnerability remediation time (target: <24 hours).

Governance Structure

Security Leadership

• Define security requirements that cannot be bypassed.
• Allocate resources for fundamental controls over advanced features.
• Communicate risk tolerance clearly to all stakeholders.

Engineering Teams

• Integrate security controls into development workflows.
• Participate in regular security training and threat modeling.
• Report security issues without fear of blame.

Executive Oversight

• Review monthly security scorecards.
• Approve resources for security infrastructure investments.
• Support enforcement of security requirements across organization.

Common Implementation Challenges

1. User Experience Friction: Accept that strong security may reduce convenience.
2. Legacy System Integration: Prioritize critical systems, plan migration paths.
3. Cultural Resistance: Emphasize that security enables sustainable growth.
4. Resource Constraints: Focus on fundamentals before advanced capabilities.
5. Compliance Requirements: Ensure brutalist approach meets regulatory standards.

Success Indicators

A mature Security Brutalism program demonstrates:

• Predictable Security: Clear understanding of security posture at all times.
• Rapid Response: Incidents are detected and contained quickly.
• Audit Readiness: All security decisions are documented and defensible.
• Cultural Integration: Security is viewed as enabler, not impediment.
• Risk Reduction: Measurable decrease in security incidents and exposure.

Getting Started Checklist

Secure executive sponsorship and resources.
Assemble cross-functional implementation team.
Complete asset inventory and risk assessment.
Define security requirements and standards.
Begin MFA deployment across all systems.
Implement centralized logging infrastructure.
Establish security metrics and reporting cadence.
Plan first incident response exercise.

Final Notes

Security Brutalism focuses on implementing fundamental controls exceptionally well and not trying to implement every possible control. The goal is a security program that is simple to understand, difficult to circumvent, and resilient under pressure. It prioritizes substance over appearance, creating a security foundation that can withstand both known and unknown threats.

Key takeaways from the guide:

• Start with asset inventory and risk assessment.
• Implement non-negotiable core controls (MFA, logging, access management, etc).
• Establish clear operational rhythms and metrics.
• Accept some user friction in exchange for long-term resilience.
• Build security into infrastructure, don't bolt it on later.

Where to go from here:

Start with The Basics, the minimal brutalist security program for evaluating your posture, identifying missing fundamentals, or building from scratch. Use the Security Brutalist Tools to audit these controls and assess gaps. Finally, review the Basic Security Hygiene Guide to ensure you're executing the hard, simple things correctly.