# Security in Codomyrmex -- The Factory Floor

Imagine a modern factory: concentric rings of protection surround every critical process. A perimeter fence keeps strangers out. Badge readers control who enters each building. Machine interlocks prevent a press from cycling while a worker's hand is inside. Safety posters remind everyone to wear goggles. OSHA regulations codify decades of hard-won lessons into enforceable rules. A safety committee reviews incidents and updates procedures. And robotic arms operate inside cages with kill switches that any bystander can trigger. Security in Codomyrmex follows exactly this factory model -- layered, deliberate, and rooted in the understanding that no single control is ever enough.

## Defense-in-Depth: Why Layers Matter

The Swiss cheese model teaches us that every defense has holes. A fence can be climbed. A badge can be stolen. A trained worker can have a bad day. But when you stack independent layers, the probability that a threat slips through every hole simultaneously drops toward zero. This is not optimism -- it is engineering. Codomyrmex implements defense-in-depth by organizing security into six distinct conceptual layers, each documented in its own guide below.

The key insight is that **security is not a feature you bolt on; it is a property that emerges from the interaction of many independent controls**. A vulnerability scanner (digital layer) is more effective when operators are trained to interpret its output (cognitive layer) and when policy requires timely remediation (governance layer). The factory analogy makes these interdependencies visible.

## The Six Security Layers

Each layer corresponds to a class of controls and a document in this directory:

| Layer | Factory Analogy | Document |
|-------|----------------|----------|
| **Physical Security** | Perimeter fences, badge readers, asset registers | [physical-security.md](physical-security.md) |
| **Digital Security** | Machine interlocks, emergency stops, lockout/tagout | [digital-security.md](digital-security.md) |
| **Cognitive Security** | Worker training, safety posters, buddy systems | [cognitive-security.md](cognitive-security.md) |
| **Security Theory** | OSHA regulations, safety engineering, HAZOP analysis | [security-theory.md](security-theory.md) |
| **Trust & Governance** | Supervisor authority, certifications, safety committees | [trust-and-governance.md](trust-and-governance.md) |
| **AI Safety** | Robotic arm guardrails, safety cages, kill switches | [ai-safety.md](ai-safety.md) |

## How to Read These Documents

These six documents are **conceptual signposts**. They explain *why* each security layer exists, what principles it embodies, and how its components relate to one another. They do not contain API signatures, configuration parameters, or code samples.

For technical details -- function interfaces, integration guides, deployment instructions -- refer to the companion documentation under `docs/modules/security/`. The relationship is intentional:

- **This directory (`docs/security/`)**: The *why*. Security philosophy, threat models, design rationale.
- **Technical directory (`docs/modules/security/`)**: The *what* and *how*. API specs, tool definitions, implementation notes.

Think of it this way: these documents are the factory safety manual that explains *why* you need a lockout/tagout procedure. The technical docs are the step-by-step checklist taped to the machine telling you *how* to perform one.

## Unified Security Philosophy

Five principles unify every layer in the factory:

1. **Assume breach.** No perimeter is impenetrable. Design every interior control as if the outer wall has already been compromised. This is not pessimism; it is the foundation of zero-trust architecture. A factory that relies solely on its perimeter fence is one fence-cutter away from total exposure. Interior controls -- locked cabinets, machine interlocks, worker vigilance -- must function independently of the perimeter.

2. **Make the safe path the easy path.** Workers who must climb stairs, unlock cabinets, and fill out forms to get safety goggles will eventually stop wearing them. Security controls must reduce friction, not add it. In Codomyrmex, this means sensible defaults, automated scanning, and trust models that escalate privileges smoothly. The best factory safety equipment is the equipment workers actually use because it does not slow them down.

3. **Measure, don't hope.** A factory without incident reports is not a safe factory -- it is a blind one. Every security layer in Codomyrmex produces observable outputs: logs, metrics, alerts, audit trails. If you cannot measure a control's effectiveness, you cannot improve it. The factory safety board that displays "days since last incident" drives behavior precisely because it makes the invisible visible.

4. **Fail secure.** When a control fails, it should fail to a restrictive state, not a permissive one. The factory door that locks when power is cut is safer than the one that swings open. In Codomyrmex, error conditions default to denying access, halting operations, and alerting operators rather than silently proceeding.

5. **Separate concerns, integrate oversight.** Each security layer operates independently -- physical controls do not depend on digital ones to function, and cognitive training does not assume governance is perfect. But oversight spans all layers. The factory safety committee reviews incidents from every department, not just the department that reported the problem. Similarly, Codomyrmex security monitoring aggregates signals across all six layers to detect threats that no single layer would catch alone.

## Reading Order Recommendations

While each document is self-contained, first-time readers benefit from a structured path through the factory:

- **Start with theory** ([security-theory.md](security-theory.md)) to understand the foundational principles -- CIA triad, least privilege, defense-in-depth -- that every other document assumes.
- **Then walk the physical perimeter** ([physical-security.md](physical-security.md)) to see how abstract principles become concrete access controls.
- **Step inside to the machines** ([digital-security.md](digital-security.md)) where operational security protects running systems.
- **Meet the workers** ([cognitive-security.md](cognitive-security.md)) who are both the strongest and weakest link.
- **Visit the front office** ([trust-and-governance.md](trust-and-governance.md)) where policy, contracts, and accountability are managed.
- **Enter the robotics bay** ([ai-safety.md](ai-safety.md)) where autonomous systems require their own class of guardrails.

For readers who already understand security fundamentals, any document can be read in isolation -- the cross-references at the bottom of each page link to its neighbors and to the technical documentation in `docs/modules/security/`.

## Cross-References

- Technical security documentation: [`docs/modules/security/`](../modules/security/)
- Security module technical overview: [`docs/modules/security/technical_overview.md`](../modules/security/technical_overview.md)
- Security module specification: [`docs/modules/security/SPEC.md`](../modules/security/SPEC.md)
- PAI security integration: [`docs/modules/security/PAI.md`](../modules/security/PAI.md)
- Agent security considerations: [`docs/modules/security/AGENTS.md`](../modules/security/AGENTS.md)

---

*This index is part of the Codomyrmex security documentation suite. Each factory layer document stands alone but gains full meaning when read alongside its neighbors and the technical references in `docs/modules/security/`.*
