Minimal and Realistic Application of Security Brutalism

Nils E. asked: What is the most minimal and realistic application of the security brutalism approach for an established security organization? How can this be used to simplify an already working security program?

The most practical and realistic use of the Security Brutalism approach for an established security organization depends on the program itself and the end goal, but in general, the focus should be on aggressively streamlining the security program by removing unnecessary complexity, enforcing core controls, and ensuring all defensive measures are transparent, auditable, and aligned with a clear purpose.

It begins by stripping operations down to the essentials, eliminating redundant tools, overlapping controls, and overly complex policies that offer little real protection. The focus shifts to foundational defenses like strict access controls, timely system patching, and strong authentication. In parallel, it emphasizes exposing the mechanics of security: making it clear to both users and stakeholders how defenses work and why they matter. This transparency builds understanding and accountability. Finally, it favors utilitarian interfaces, prioritizing simple, information-dense tools such as clear dashboards and logs over visually polished but functionally shallow designs.

Next comes tool consolidation: auditing the security stack to eliminate redundant or low-value tools in favor of scalable, manageable solutions. This is supported by enforcing strong defaults for identity, access, logging, and patching, treating these foundational controls as non-negotiable. Any exceptions are made visible and rigorously tracked. To further improve resilience, the approach emphasizes automation: repetitive defense and response tasks are streamlined to reduce human error and accelerate incident handling. Aggressive, predefined response routines, such as immediate isolation of compromised endpoints or automated credential revocation, are built in. Progress is driven by iterative, measurable improvements, focusing on small, practical wins rather than sweeping, unproven changes. The priority remains on actions that can be tracked, tested, and continually refined.

We also prioritize teaching and empowering users through direct, relevant security awareness training that focuses on real-world threats like phishing, credential theft, and social engineering, rather than relying on generic or compliance-driven content.

The idea is to get to more adaptable and faster response: Focusing on transparency, raw function, and brutally straightforward controls creates a more nimble program. This enables faster detection, clear decision-making, and rapid recovery after incidents, because everyone understands the core controls and there is less friction caused by unnecessary tools or ambiguous processes.

In short, deploy only the simplest, strongest, and most transparent controls possible, cut away everything else, and ensure the program is highly understandable and ready to adapt as threats change.