Architecture Decay
Architecture decay is the gradual loss of effectiveness in a security program as point products bolted together at different times accumulate integration debt — duplicated coverage, blind spots in seams, and orphaned ownership. CISO Game models it as posture drift on aging stacks that haven't been unified by an Architecture project (Zero Trust, Network Segmentation, Identity Overhaul).
Where this term fits in a CISO program
Architecture Decay is one of 35 cybersecurity strategy concepts CISO Game models live. Architecture Decay appears throughout the simulation — in the risk register, the investment catalog, and the mechanics reference — so a player encounters the concept in context rather than as an isolated definition.
See it in play
The fastest way to internalize Architecture Decay is to watch it move during a 5-year program. Start a free CISO Game run to see how this concept interacts with budget, hiring, and incident response across 20 quarters of strategic play.
Related glossary terms
- Annual AuditThe end-of-year board review at quarters 4, 8, 12, 16, 20. Calculates an audit p…
- Architecture ProjectA multi-quarter investment (Zero Trust, Network Segmentation, Identity Overhaul)…
- AwarenessThe posture pillar covering human-factor security: phishing simulation, security…