Explain like I'm five · Security

What is a Security Framework?

Security frameworks — NIST CSF at the centre — told as a story about five pillars and a roof for keeping a castle, laid out by the neighbours' sages.

our castle — nothing missing, right?um… probably?belldogboardsspare chestwatchtowerkey ringthief lessonlogso many jobs — and no listnobody knows what's done and what's missing

There are so many jobs in keeping a castle. Nobody knows what has been missed.The guard room, the dogs, the boards, the spare chest — everyone works hard, separately. But there is no list.

the wall is very thickno bellno spare chestthe thief is already inside — nobody knowsa castle thick only on blocking can't notice a thief who got over, nor recover

The castle ends up thick on one side only. Nobody notices the thief who climbed over.Raise only the wall and there is no bell; hang only the bell and there is no spare chest. The thief finds the empty spot first.

GOVERN — who, and by what rulesKNOWcount the doorsBLOCKlock themNOTICEhang the bellCHASE OUTby the bookRESTOREspare chestfive pillars and a roof, laid out by the neighbours' sagesdrop one pillar and the roof tilts

A security framework is the sages' five pillars for keeping a castle.Know, block, notice, chase out, restore. And the roof is govern — who is responsible, and by what rules. Drop one pillar and the roof tilts.

Knowcount the doors and cracks
Blocklock, and check three times
Noticethe bell and the dogs
Chase out, restorethe book and the spare chest
OUR CASTLE'S PILLAR SCORES2know5block1notice2chase out3restorethe bell comes first, thenstart with the lowest pillarscore each pillar, and what to do first becomes clear

Score each pillar for our castle. Start with the lowest one.Know is counting doors from outside and the book of cracks; notice is the big screen and the dogs; chase out is the book of steps; restore is the spare chest.

FIVE PILLARSscore by pillarTHE STAMPEDinspector checksEIGHTEEN JOBSdo them in orderthere are several books — pick one and hold it up to our castleany book will do — fit it to our castlere-score every yearwith the pillars in place, when the king asks 'safe?' you answer in numbers

The sages wrote several books. Pick one and hold it up to our castle.The stamped book is checked by an inspector. The roof is the castle rule book; the risk scale decides which pillar to raise first. Whether scores improve, you see in numbers.

In one breath

Security framework = the sages' five pillars for keeping a castle (know, block, notice, chase out, restore) plus the roof (govern). Score each pillar and raise the missing one first.

NIST CSF 2.0 organizes security work into six functions — Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover; ISO 27001 adds certification, and CIS Controls a prioritized list of controls. A gap analysis measures current maturity, and risk sets the priority of controls.

When grown-ups say it

NIST CSF
The neighbours' sages' book on keeping a castle. Govern, identify, protect, detect, respond, recover — six functions. Version 2.0 added govern, the roof.
ISO 27001
The book an inspector stamps. Someone else confirms you follow the rules. → the inspector's stamp
CIS Controls
A list of what to do first. A ready-ordered list. Even a small castle can start today.
Control
One brick in a pillar. A single tangible thing — a bell, a lock, a spare chest.
Maturity
A pillar's score. From 0 (nothing) to 5 (always done, measured, improved).
Gap analysis
Finding the missing pillar. Hold the book up to the castle and count the empty spots.
Governance
The roof. Who is responsible and by what rules. → the castle rule book
Risk
The scale that picks which pillar first. A low score the thief never targets can wait. → the risk scale
Next story
How Fast We Notice, How Fast We Chase Out →
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