Security Team Standard Operating Procedures

Brutalist Security Approach

Commander's Intent

Our mission is organizational survivability through aggressive defense, disciplined execution, and relentless simplicity. We exist to detect, defend, and respond faster than our adversaries can act. We measure success not by compliance checkboxes, but by our ability to bend without breaking when reality diverges from the plan.

Primary Goals:

• Maintain organizational survivability under attack conditions
• Achieve superior speed in detection, response, and recovery
• Preserve business continuity through security incidents
• Reduce actual risk, not theoretical coverage

Core Doctrine and Principles

1. Doctrine Over Decoration

• Security is doctrine, not tools. We operate on clear, time-tested principles that govern detection, defense, and response
• Function over fashion. If it doesn't demonstrably reduce risk or accelerate response, it doesn't belong
• No performative controls. We discard anything done because it "looks secure" without providing actual security value
• Demonstrable value only. Every control must help us survive an incident or prevent one outright

2. Small Teams, Large Impact

• Lean by design. A dozen skilled operators with authority to act outperform a battalion of process followers
• Skill over scale. We scale through autonomy, repetition, and shared purpose, not headcount
• Trust and clarity. Teams operate on domain expertise, mutual trust, and clear mission understanding
• No outsourced thinking. Core security decisions remain internal to the team

3. Speed is Security

• Tempo over perfection. Speed of detection, response, and recovery is more decisive than theoretical coverage
• Rehearsed execution. We act decisively because we've practiced, not because we have the perfect process
• Fast tools, fast teams. Our technology stack and team structure optimize for speed of action
• Win the race. Security is a race against adversaries, not compliance deadlines

4. Aggressive Defense

• Active pursuit over passive monitoring. Detection is hunting, not waiting
• Reclaim ground. Response is about taking territory back, not just containing damage
• Stay on the front foot. We engage attackers as thinking opponents through deception and threat-informed defense
• Strike back mentality. Defensive posture with offensive mindset

5. Discipline Equals Freedom

• Train like we fight. Exhaustive preparation enables improvisation under pressure
• Standard procedures enable speed. Rigid SOPs create the foundation for flexible response
• Weekly, not yearly. We audit for gaps continuously, not just during compliance cycles
• Self-imposed discipline. Team discipline creates operational freedom when systems break

Team Structure and Roles

Organizational Design

• Flat hierarchy with minimal management layers
• Direct reporting lines - each member reports to a single lead
• Broad roles with sharp accountability - avoid over-specialization
• Clear ownership zones - each person owns their domain completely

Core Roles

• Security Engineer (Detection & Response) - Hunt, detect, and respond to threats
• Security Engineer (Infrastructure & Architecture) - Secure systems and guide secure design
• Security Engineer (Application & Development) - Embed security in development processes
• Security Team Lead - Enable team success, remove blockers, maintain strategic alignment

Team Expectations

• Own your world. If there's a problem in your domain, it's your responsibility regardless of root cause
• Ask when in doubt. Suffering alone is not acceptable - we are here to help each other
• Select right person for right job. Skills and aptitude matter more than titles or seniority

Communication Standards

Information Flow

• Radical transparency at all levels, especially from leadership
• Direct and unfiltered communication without jargon or sugarcoating
• Factual status updates focused on outcomes, not effort
• Daily and weekly communication as needed, not by rigid schedule

Meeting Discipline

• Minimal necessary meetings with clear agendas and action items
• Progress tracking focused - what was done, what's next, what's blocking
• No fluff or ceremony - functional communication only
• Transparency is key - information flows openly within the team

Performance Management

Evaluation Criteria

• Objective measurement based on publicly visible security metrics
• Rate managers by how well they enable team success
• Rate individual contributors by thinking speed, failure recovery, and delivery
• Minimize subjective assessments - focus on tangible contributions

Expectations and Consequences

• Clear performance standards with transparent consequences
• Consistent application of both rewards and corrective actions
• Skills development for function - practical training only, no certification theater
• Focus on team collaboration over individual heroics

Incident Response Procedures

Under Attack Conditions

• Speed trumps perfection - act on available information rather than waiting for complete picture
• Decentralized execution - teams act independently within doctrine
• Centralized purpose - maintain strategic alignment while allowing tactical flexibility
• Accept the chaos - adapt to reality, don't force reality to fit plans

Response Priorities

1. Immediate containment of active threats
2. Business continuity preservation
3. Evidence collection for investigation
4. System recovery and hardening
5. Lessons learned integration into doctrine

Communication During Incidents

• Factual updates to leadership and stakeholders
• No speculation - report what is known, acknowledge what is unknown
• Regular cadence appropriate to incident severity
• Clear escalation paths memorized by all team members

Technology and Tooling

Tool Selection Principles

• Essential tools only - minimal set for maximum effectiveness
• Function over features - robust and well-understood tools over shiny objects
• Vendor independence - avoid letting vendor narratives replace internal thinking
• Every tool is questioned - regular evaluation of continued value

Automation Standards

• Automate repetitive tasks to free humans for complex problem-solving
• Build small, purpose-driven automation where commercial tools fail
• Maintain automation discipline - no automation without human oversight capability
• Speed-focused toolchain - optimize entire stack for rapid response

Operational Standards

Daily Operations

• Accept raw terrain - work within actual constraints, not ideal conditions
• Real risk focus - address actual vulnerabilities in real systems
• Continuous improvement - weekly gap analysis and process refinement
• Threat-informed decisions - understand adversary doctrine and adapt accordingly

Process Documentation

• Standardized, documented processes for all core functions
• Regularly reviewed for effectiveness and simplicity
• Complexity minimized - remove unnecessary steps and handoffs
• Living documents - updated based on actual operational experience

Training and Preparedness

• Drill incident response regularly with realistic scenarios
• Memorize escalation paths and critical procedures
• Cross-training to prevent single points of failure
• Stress-test procedures under time pressure and resource constraints

Success Metrics

Primary Indicators

• Mean Time to Detection (MTTD) - how fast we see problems
• Mean Time to Response (MTTR) - how fast we act on problems
• Business continuity preservation during incidents
• Adversary campaign disruption effectiveness

Secondary Indicators

• Team autonomy level - ability to act without escalation
• Process execution speed - time from alert to action
• Knowledge retention - team capability during personnel changes
• Stakeholder confidence in security team effectiveness

Behavioral Standards

Team Culture

• Ownership and accountability - individuals own their responsibilities completely
• Results oriented - focus on achieving security goals, not demonstrating effort
• Team performance focus - collective success over individual recognition
• Reliability over heroics - consistent excellence over dramatic saves

Professional Conduct

• Direct communication without unnecessary diplomacy or politics
• Intellectual honesty about capabilities, limitations, and uncertainties
• Continuous learning focused on operational effectiveness
• Bias toward action when faced with uncertainty

Doctrine Application

This SOP embodies the Brutalist Security philosophy that security is not elegant or pretty, but it is real and effective. We embrace the chaos of modern enterprise security while maintaining the discipline to survive and respond effectively.

Our standard is not perfect coverage but organizational survivability. Our method is not consensus-building but decisive action based on sound doctrine. Our goal is not to look secure but to be secure when it matters most.

Remember: We don't lose because we lacked policy. We lose because we were slow.