Security Brutalism Defined

Several people have reached out and questioned whether Security Brutalism can actually be implemented, calling it "too difficult," "unrealistic," or "swimming against the current." They doubt this approach can be practically applied. Maybe I may not have communicated this clearly enough: Security Brutalism is simply returning to the basics of security, applying its fundamentals, and establishing a robust foundation that strengthens organizational defenses against inevitable attacks.

These fundamentals naturally introduce friction as a side effect. This happens either because existing solutions have stripped away this friction (weakening security or adding complexity and attack surface), or because these fundamentals were missing entirely and are now functioning as intended. Strategic friction in key areas is actually beneficial—it complicates the attacker's job.

Security Brutalism isn't a universal solution. It must be tailored to each specific organization. The core concept is to address constantly shifting threats and attack vectors more rapidly and effectively by emphasizing foundational principles while maintaining adaptability. So, in this sense, it doesn't get any more realistic than this.

Security Brutalism is pragmatic, streamlined, and fast. It avoids unnecessary complexity, and because of that it delivers results.

"We have an obsession with security technologies, tools, and vendors. But we often forget that true security comes from good practices, well-trained people, and understanding the basic fundamentals."

Core Principles of Security Brutalism

Simplicity Over Complexity: In Security Brutalism, complexity is the enemy. Security teams focus on straightforward, scalable solutions that get to the heart of the problem. Complex frameworks and bloated security systems are stripped away, replaced with lean, modular designs that solve the problem directly without unnecessary layers.

Resilience is Key: Security Brutalism centers on creating resilient, robust systems. Its focus is on assuming breach, anticipating threats, and building environments that can withstand attacks. Rather than focusing on preventative measures alone, security must implement strategies that keep systems running, even in the face of a breach. Systems are hardened, critical assets are isolated, and responses to attacks are rapid and ruthless.

Action Over Theory: A hallmark of Security Brutalism is its emphasis on immediate action and practical responses. Rather than engaging in endless theoretical debates about the best practices, teams are empowered to make decisions and take bold actions when necessary. Security Brutalism doesn’t leave room for overthinking or hesitation; it encourages quick, decisive responses to real-time threats.

Adaptability and Efficiency: Security Brutalism champions adaptability in the face of changing threats. Teams don’t rely on outdated methodologies, rigid frameworks, or shiny vendor new things; instead, they stay nimble, constantly evolving and optimizing security measures. The goal is efficiency: ensuring systems work as simply and directly as possible without wasting time or resources.

Real-Life Implementation of Security Brutalism

Implementing a Security Brutalism approach doesn’t require fancy tools or cutting-edge technology. Instead, it focuses on a mindset shift in the way security teams operate. Here’s how companies can embrace Security Brutalism:

Streamlining Security Architecture

Instead of deploying a wide range of overlapping security tools, a Security Brutalist approach would prioritize the most effective, high-impact tools and technologies. For example, instead of running legacy (signature-based) detection tools, a complex "ai-based" behavior analytics tool, and a separate threat intelligence feed, they can chose to deploy a modern EDR (Endpoint Detection & Response) platform that detects real attacker behavior (not just signatures), offers automated response (isolation, rollback), and centralizes endpoint visibility.

Tactical, Real-Time Incident Response

Security Brutalism focuses on immediate, tactical responses rather than over-the-top defensive maneuvers. Security teams prioritize speed and effectiveness over drawing out long, drawn-out investigations. For instance, when faced with a suspected breach, a Security Brutalist approach may involve executing a containment strategy immediately: isolating affected systems, removing unauthorized access points, and reducing the blast radius within minutes—without overthinking the "best" method.

Focus on the Fundamentals

Instead of constantly chasing the latest security trends (AI-driven threat detection, hyper-advanced encryption protocols, etc), teams grounded in Security Brutalism return to the basics: access controls, endpoint security, network segmentation, and monitoring. The goal is to get the basics right and fortify those foundations, instead of jumping into complex, unproven technologies that may only add new layers of vulnerability.

Security at Every Layer

Security Brutalism encourages teams to secure every single layer, no matter how small or mundane. The principle here is that attackers look for the weakest link, often a small, overlooked vulnerability. Security Brutalism ensures every component, from the web server to the database, is hardened and that each layer is working in unison to prevent compromises.

Post-Breach Efficiency

A fundamental aspect of Security Brutalism is that it doesn’t shy away from post-breach analysis. When an attack occurs, the focus isn’t on finger-pointing but on assessing the damage, responding swiftly, and ensuring systems are back online with minimal disruption. Post-incident reviews are streamlined, actionable, and centered on improving the overall resilience of the environment. You learn from what went wrong.

Leadership in Security Brutalism

In the world of Security Brutalism, leadership is defined not by hierarchy or theory but by decisiveness and action. Leaders must instill a culture where security teams operate swiftly and without hesitation.

Leaders don't sit behind desks writing long reports—they’re in the trenches with their teams, actively involved in risk assessments, incident response, and security improvements. They lead from the front, making quick decisions and setting a tone of efficiency and action.

They believe in empowering their teams to make decisions in real-time. A strong security leader trusts their team to execute on-the-fly solutions and make bold calls when needed. This means creating a team culture that values confidence, autonomy, and initiative. This means communicating in a direct, no-frills way. When there’s a security breach, the team doesn’t waste time in endless meetings or theorizing about what might have happened. The communication is fast, clear, and focused on actionable outcomes.

Brutalist Security leaders are relentless in their drive for optimization. After each incident or project, the leader and the team reflect quickly, focusing on hard data and clear takeaways. They implement changes immediately—there's no room for "we’ll look into that next quarter." Everything is iterated on the fly.

An Effective Future

Security Brutalism cuts through the fluff and focuses on what really matters: creating a secure, resilient environment that can stand up to modern security threats. It’s taking a no-nonsense approach to security, stripping away complexity, and focusing on simplicity, speed, and action.

Security teams that adopt this philosophy will be better equipped to handle the future of security: faster, smarter, and tougher than ever before. So, while others chase the latest trends or throw money at the next big security framework, a Security Brutalist team is out there building, defending, and responding. Relentlessly efficient, brutally effective.