Secentered

Secentered is a term used in technology and design to describe an approach that places security and privacy at the center of product development and system operation. It refers to practices and design philosophies that integrate security considerations into every stage from concept through deployment and maintenance, with the aim of reducing risk and increasing resilience.

Origin and usage: The phrase began appearing in professional discussions in the early 2020s among cybersecurity, UX, and product-management communities. It is not a formal standard or certification but a guiding principle used to contrast traditional security work that is added late in the process with an integrated, security-first mindset.

Core principles: Secure-by-default configurations, least-privilege access, threat modeling, verifiable audits, continuous monitoring, transparent data handling, and user controls. Secentered emphasizes designing systems to withstand breaches and to give users meaningful privacy and control over their data.

Applications: The approach has been discussed in contexts such as cloud platforms, mobile apps, IoT devices, and enterprise software, where security and privacy concerns intersect with product requirements, regulatory compliance, and user trust.

Reception and critique: Proponents argue that Secentered aligns security with business value and user experience, while critics note that the term can be vague without concrete metrics or governance structures. Adoption often requires organizational change, cross-functional collaboration, and investment in secure development practices.

See also: privacy by design, security by design, zero-trust, secure development lifecycle.