Granted Patent B2

US 9,558,677 · App. 14/216,002 · Granted Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

Claims (111)

1. A computer-implemented method of providing cybersecurity training to a user of an electronic device, comprising:

by one or more processors:

accessing identifying information relating to an electronic device,

selecting a mock attack situation that corresponds to the electronic device, and

causing the mock attack situation to be delivered to a user of the electronic device via the electronic device in the user's regular context of use of the electronic device;

by a sensor, sensing an action of the user in a response to the mock attack situation; and

by the one or more processors;

receiving an identification of the sensed action from the sensor,

using the sensed action to determine whether the user should receive a training intervention, and

determining that the user should receive a training intervention, and in response selecting a training intervention from a set of at least one training intervention and delivering the selected training intervention to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises a software application, or firmware installed and configured to run on an electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the mock attack situation to be delivered to the user via the device in the user's regular context of use of the device comprises luring the user to use the device to interact with at least one of the following mock attacks:

a mock malicious memory device;

a mock malicious short-range tag;

a mock malicious barcode;

a piece of mock malware; or

a mock rogue, compromised or malfunctioning device or service.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensed action includes receipt of identifying information in response to the mock attack situation, and using the sensed action to determine whether the user should receive a training intervention comprises:

using the received identifying information in the response to determine whether the response originates from a registered user; and

only delivering the selected training intervention if the response originates from the registered user.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensed action includes receipt of identifying information in response to the mock attack situation, and using the sensed action to determine whether the user should receive a training intervention comprises:

using the received identifying information in the response to determine whether the response originates from a device that is a known client; and

only delivering the selected training intervention if the response originates from a device that is a known device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the user should receive a training intervention comprises:

determining whether the user has responded to at least a threshold number of mock attack situations.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the mock attack situation comprises a wireless service that includes a wireless local area network service, a wireless personal area network service, a near field communication service; and

the sensed action comprises a request to connect the device to the wireless service.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the mock attack situation comprises a network service or device that broadcasts an availability message; and

the sensed action comprises a request to connect the electronic device to the network service or device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the mock attack situation comprises an attack that lures users to install fake malware; and

the sensed action comprises a request to install fake malware on the device.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the training intervention comprises:

using the sensed action to identify a threat scenario for which the user is at risk;

identifying a collection of available training interventions that are relevant to the threat scenario; and

selecting from the collection, based on the identified threat scenario, the training intervention to be delivered to the user.

11. A computer-implemented method of providing cybersecurity training to a user, comprising:

by one or more processors:

selecting a mock attack situation for a user, wherein the mock attack situation comprises a mock attack other than a mock phishing email,

obtaining contact information necessary to deploy the mock attack situation to the user, and

using the contact information to cause the mock attack situation to be deployed to the user in the user's regular context of use of a service or device;

by a sensor, sensing an action of the user in a response to the mock attack situation; and

by the one or more processors:

using the sensed action to determine whether the user should receive a training intervention, and

determining that the user should receive a training intervention, and in response selecting a training intervention and delivering the selected training intervention to the user.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein sensing the action of the user includes receiving identifying information and using the sensed action to determine whether the user should receive a training intervention comprises:

using the received identifying information to determine whether the response originates from a user who is a registered user; and

only delivering the selected training intervention if the response originates from a registered user.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein sensing the action of the user includes receiving identifying information and using the sensed action to determine whether the user should receive a training intervention comprises:

using the received identifying information to determine whether the response originates from a device that is a known device; and

only delivering the selected training intervention if the response originates from a device that is a known device.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein sensing the action of the user includes receiving identifying information and using the sensed action to determine whether the user should receive a training intervention comprises:

using the received identifying information to determine whether the response originates from a user who is a registered user;

using the received identifying information to determine whether the response originates from a device that is an approved device; and

delivering the selected training intervention if the response originates from a registered user who is not using an approved device.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining whether the user should receive a training intervention comprises:

determining whether the user has responded to at least a threshold number of mock attack situations.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the mock attack situation comprises a message delivered via a messaging service; and

the sensed action comprises receiving a reply to the message, wherein the reply includes personally identifiable information.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the mock attack situation comprises a mock malicious barcode; and

the sensed action comprises detecting that the user has used a device to scan the barcode and requested to connect the device to a mock malicious URL.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the mock attack situation comprises delivering a mock malicious memory device to the user; and

the sensed action comprises detecting that the user has performed one or more of the following: connected the memory device to an electronic device; opened a file stored on the memory device; or provided the memory device to another person.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein selecting the training intervention comprises:

using the sensed action to identify a threat scenario for which the user is at risk;

identifying a collection of available training interventions relevant to the threat scenario; and

selecting from the collection, based on the identified threat scenario, the training intervention to be delivered to the user.

20. A computer-implemented method of providing cybersecurity training to a user, comprising, by one or more processors:

sensing, by a sensor, identifying information associated with an electronic device;

using the identifying information to determine an area where a user of the electronic device is likely to be;

selecting a mock attack situation for the user, wherein the mock attack situation requires the user to be within a vicinity of the area to receive the mock attack situation;

causing the mock attack situation to be deployed in the area;

after the user comes within the vicinity of the area, sensing an action of the user in response to the mock attack situation;

determining whether the user should receive a training intervention and, if so, selecting a relevant training intervention from a set of one or more training interventions; and

delivering the selected training intervention to the user.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:

using the sensed action to identify a threat scenario for which the user is at risk;

using the sensed action to determine whether the user should receive a training intervention; and

determining that the user should receive a training intervention;

wherein the selecting of the training intervention is in response to the determining that the user should receive a training intervention.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the sensed action includes receipt of identifying information in response to the mock attack situation, and using the sensed action to determine whether the user should receive a training intervention comprises:

using the received identifying information in the response to determine whether the response originates from the user; and

only delivering the selected training intervention if the response originates from the user.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the sensed action includes receipt of identifying information in response to the mock attack situation, and using the sensed action to determine whether the user should receive a training intervention comprises:

using the received identifying information in the response to determine whether the response originates from a device that is a known client; and

only delivering the selected training intervention if the response originates from a device that is a known device.

24. The method of claim 20 , wherein:

the mock attack situation comprises a wireless service that includes a Wi-Fi network; and

the sensed action comprises a request to connect the device to the Wi-Fi network.

25. The method of claim 20 , wherein:

the mock attack situation comprises a near field communication device that broadcasts an availability message; and

the sensed action comprises a request to connect the device to the near field communication device.

26. The method of claim 20 , wherein:

the mock attack situation comprises a barcode that, when scanned, will connect a device to a mock malicious URL; and

the sensed action comprises indicia that the user has used a device to scan the barcode and requested to connect the device to the mock malicious URL.

27. A computer-implemented method of providing cybersecurity training to a user, comprising:

by a sensor, monitoring physical location information of a user of an electronic device during the user's regular context of use of the electronic device;

by one or more processors:

accessing identifying information for the user,

selecting a mock attack situation based on the accessed identifying information,

selecting a physical location where the user is likely to be based on the monitored physical location information, and

causing the mock attack situation to be delivered to the user at the selected physical location;

by the sensor, sensing an action of the user in response to the mock attack situation; and

by the one or more processors:

using the sensed action to determine whether the user should receive a training intervention, and

determining that the user should receive a training intervention, and in response selecting a training intervention from a set of at least one training intervention and delivering the selected training intervention to the user.

Assignments (10)