Why is simplicity important for security?

Complexity is the enemy of security — what you can't fully understand, you can't properly audit or secure, and more code simply means more bugs.

Why complexity hurts:

• More code = more bugs — Bug density is roughly constant. 10x more code ≈ 10x more vulnerabilities
• Harder to review — Auditors can't effectively review what they can't understand
• Configuration errors — Complex systems have more settings to misconfigure
• Unexpected interactions — Components interact in ways designers didn't anticipate

Einstein's principle applies: "Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler."

Tip: A simple username/password authentication you understand completely is more secure than a complex SSO integration you can't properly configure.