Brutalist Security Meets Team of Teams: Part 3 - Runbook

(Part 3 of 5)

This runbook outlines the key phases, activities, and considerations for implementing a Security Brutalism approach within a Team of Teams framework. It represents one possible implementation; there are many others. Finding what works for your specific organization is crucial.

What and Who

Goal: To establish a robust and uncompromising security posture by integrating foundational security principles (Security Brutalism) into the decentralized and collaborative Team of Teams organizational structure.

Target Audience: Security Leadership, Engineering Leadership, Team Leaders, Security Champions within teams.

Runnbook Phases

1. Vision and Strategy Definition

• Clearly articulate what "Security Brutalism" means for the organization. Examples:
• Mandatory multi-factor authentication for all access.
• Strict least-privilege access controls enforced at all levels.
• Automated and frequent vulnerability scanning.
• Immutable infrastructure principles where applicable.
• Clear and non-negotiable security baselines for all systems.
• Align with organizational goals
• Ensure the Security Brutalism approach supports overall business objectives and doesn't unduly hinder innovation or agility.
• Identify key risk areas that this approach aims to mitigate.
• Define scope and phased rollout
• Determine the initial scope of implementation (specific product lines, infrastructure components).
• Plan a phased rollout to allow for learning and adjustments.
• Identify Key Stakeholders
• List all relevant teams and individuals who will be involved in the implementation.
• Establish Success Metrics
• Define measurable metrics to track the progress and effectiveness of the implementation (adoption rates of security controls, reduction in vulnerabilities, incident response times).

2. Organizational Structure and Roles

• Identify Security Champions
• Nominate or recruit individuals within each team to serve as security champions. These individuals will be the primary point of contact for security matters within their teams.
• Establish Security Guilds/Communities of Practice
• Create forums for security champions and security specialists to collaborate, share knowledge, and contribute to the definition and enforcement of security standards.
• Define Central Security Architecture Team Role
• Clearly define the responsibilities of the central security team in setting the overall security framework, providing guidance, and offering specialized expertise.
• Define Team-Level Security Responsibilities
• Outline the specific security responsibilities of each autonomous team (implementing controls, participating in security reviews, responding to vulnerabilities in their domain).
• Establish Communication Channels
• Define clear communication pathways for security-related information flow between teams, security champions, and the central security team.

3. Defining "Brutalist" Security Standards and Tooling

• Develop Core Security Standards
• Translate the "security brutalism" principles into concrete and actionable security standards (password complexity requirements, encryption standards, logging and monitoring policies).
• Select and Implement Foundational Security Tools
• Identify and deploy essential security tools that align with the "brutalist" principles (vulnerability scanners, static and dynamic code analysis tools, identity and access management systems, SIEM systems). Prioritize tools that can be automated and integrated into team workflows.
• Create Security Baselines and Templates
• Develop secure configuration baselines for operating systems, applications, and infrastructure components. Provide templates and guidelines to teams for consistent implementation.
• Automate Security Controls
• Where possible, automate the enforcement of security standards (using infrastructure-as-code to enforce secure configurations, automated code scanning in CI/CD pipelines).

4. Team Enablement and Training

• Security Awareness Training
• Provide comprehensive security awareness training to all team members, emphasizing the importance of the "brutalist" security principles and their individual responsibilities.
• Security Champion Training
• Offer specialized training to security champions, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to effectively advocate for and implement security within their teams.
• Tooling and Process Training
• Provide hands-on training on the security tools and processes that teams will be expected to use.
• Knowledge Sharing and Documentation
• Create easily accessible documentation and knowledge bases for security standards, tools, and best practices. Encourage security guilds to contribute to this documentation.

5. Implementation and Integration

• Pilot Program
• Select a few pilot teams to implement the Security Brutalism approach and provide feedback.
• Integrate Security into Development and Operations Workflows
• Embed security checks and controls into existing development pipelines (DevSecOps) and operational processes.
• Ensure that security considerations are a standard part of planning, design, and deployment.
• Phased Rollout to Other Team
• Based on the learnings from the pilot program, gradually roll out the implementation to other teams.
• Continuous Monitoring and Feedback
• Establish mechanisms for continuous monitoring of security control implementation and gather feedback from teams on the effectiveness and usability of the standards and tools.

6. Governance and Enforcement

• Establish Security Policies
• Formalize the Brutalist Security standards into clear and enforceable security policies.
• Define Compliance Monitoring Processes
• Implement processes to monitor adherence to security policies and standards across all teams.
• Establish Non-Compliance Procedures
• Define clear procedures for addressing and remediating instances of non-compliance.
• Regular Security Audits
• Conduct periodic security audits to assess the effectiveness of the implemented controls and identify areas for improvement.

7. Continuous Improvement

• Regular Review of Security Standards
• Periodically review and update the "brutalist" security standards based on evolving threats, new technologies, and feedback from teams.
• Lessons Learned Sessions
• Conduct regular "lessons learned" sessions after security incidents or significant security initiatives to identify areas for improvement in the implementation.
• Adapt and Iterate
• Be prepared to adapt the approach and make adjustments based on experience and the changing security landscape.

Key Considerations for Success

Leadership Buy-in: Strong support from executive leadership is crucial for the success of this initiative.

Clear Communication: Transparent and consistent communication is essential to ensure that all teams understand the goals and expectations.

Empowerment and Trust: While the approach is "brutalist" in its foundational principles, empowering teams to own their security within those boundaries is vital.

Balance with Agility: Strive to integrate security seamlessly into team workflows without creating undue friction or hindering agility. Automation is key to achieving this balance.

Focus on Education and Collaboration: Emphasize education and collaboration over strict enforcement to foster a strong security culture.

To Finish

This runbook provides a high-level framework. As mentioned before, the specific activities and timelines will need to be tailored to your organization's unique context and needs. Remember: Iterate and adapt as you progress through the implementation.

Next Part 4.