IP Library Granted Patent US 11,599,838
Granted Patent B2
US 11,599,838 · App. 16/013,486 · Granted Mar 7, 2023

Systems and methods for creating and commissioning a security awareness program

Inventors: Greg Kras (Dunedin, FL); Alin Irimie (Clearwater, FL); Perry Carpenter (Austin, AR); Suzanne Gorman (Clearwater, FL)
Assignee: KnowBe4, Inc.
G06Q10/06314H04L63/1483
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,599,838
App. No.
16/013,486
Granted
Mar 7, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatus for implementing a security awareness program are provided which allow a device of a security awareness system to receive attributes of an implementation of a security awareness program from an entity, such as a company. Responsive to the attributes, the device determines a configuration for each of a baseline simulated phishing campaign, electronic based training of users of the entity for security awareness and one or more subsequent simulated phishing campaigns. The device initiates execution of the baseline simulated phishing campaign to identify a percentage of users of the entity that are phish-prone.

Claims (24)

1. A system for configuring and executing simulated phishing campaigns, the system comprising

a device comprising one or more processors, coupled to memory and comprising:

a query module configured to receive attributes of an implementation of a security awareness program for an entity via a questionnaire presented via a display;

a tool executable on the one or more processors and configured to compare the attributes for the entity of an organization to attributes of other entities of other organizations, responsive to receiving the attributes, and

determine, based at least on the comparison, a configuration for each of a baseline simulated phishing campaign to be executed to communicate electronic simulated phishing communications to users of the entity to get users to click on a link in the electronic simulated phishing communications, electronic based training for users of the entity for security awareness and one or more simulated phishing campaigns to be executed to communicate electronic simulated phishing communications to the users of the entity subsequent to the baseline simulated phishing campaign; and

a server configured to:

execute the baseline simulated phishing campaign to communicate electronic simulated phishing communications to devices of users, receive indications of users clicking on the link of the electronic phishing communications and identify from the received indications a percentage of users of the entity who are phish-prone, wherein the percentage of users of the entity who are phish-prone comprises a number of users of the entity that clicked on the link of the electronic simulated phishing communications;

execute the electronic based training to those users identified as phish-prone from the baseline simulated phishing campaign; and

execute the one or more simulated phishing campaigns subsequent to the baseline simulated phishing campaign and based at least on results of the baseline simulated phishing campaign and the electronic based training; and

wherein the server is configured to automatically determine a schedule of each of the baseline simulated phishing campaigns, the electronic based training and the one or more simulated phishing campaigns subsequent to the baseline simulated phishing campaign; and

wherein the one or more simulated phishing campaigns communicate electronic simulated phishing communications to devices of users, receive indications of users clicking on the link of the electronic phishing communications and identify from the received indications the percentage of users of the entity who are phish-prone, and

automatically generate in an electronic calendar according to the schedule, one or more graphical representations of each of the baseline simulated phishing campaigns, the electronic based training and the one or more simulated phishing campaigns subsequent to the baseline simulated phishing campaign, wherein the server is further configured to update, in a display of the one or more graphical representations in the electronic calendar, a status of execution of a corresponding campaign as the corresponding campaign progresses with users clicking on the link of the electronic phishing communications and, responsive to selecting the one or more graphical representations, display in a user interface a percentage of users who are phish-prone of the corresponding campaign in comparison with a percentage of phish-prone users of the other entities.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises the user interface configured to receive the attributes responsive to the questionnaire, provided by the user interface, regarding implementation by the entity of the security awareness program.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tool is further configured to compare the attributes for the entity to attributes of other entities that share at least one of the attributes.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the tool is further configured to determine, based on at least the comparison of the percentage of users of the entity who are phish-prone to one or more other entities that share at least one of the attributes, the configuration of at least one of the baseline simulated phishing campaigns, the electronic based training of users of the entity for security awareness or the one or more subsequent simulated phishing campaigns.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tool is further configured to determine the configuration of one of the baseline phishing simulation campaigns or the one or more simulated phishing campaigns to include one or more of the following: a schedule, a type of simulated phishing attack, a type of exploit, and a type of data to collect.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tool is further configured to identify, based on at least the attributes, one or more training modules for the electronic based training of users of the entity for security awareness.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tool is further configured to identify, responsive to execution of the baseline simulated phishing campaign, the percentage of users of the entity who are phish-prone.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the percentage of users of the entity who are phish-prone comprise the number of users of the entity that clicked on the link of the electronic simulated phishing communications comprising a simulated phishing email.

9. The system of claim 2 , wherein the server is further configured to execute the electronic based training to at least those users of the entity identified as phish-prone.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server is further configured to execute the one or more simulated phishing campaigns based on at least a result of one of the baseline simulated phishing campaigns or the electronic based training of users of the entity for security awareness.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more graphical representations are organized into one or more metrics for the corresponding campaign and one or more metrics for each user.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more graphical representations comprise an aggregation of statistics across users.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server is further configured to update the one or more graphical representations as a corresponding campaign progresses.

Assignments (6)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 8, 2025
From: KNOWBE4, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072337/0277 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME: 062627/0001 Recorded Jul 28, 2025
From: BLUE OWL CREDIT INCOME CORP. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS OWL ROCK CORE INCOME CORP.)
To: KNOWBE4, INC.
Reel/Frame 072108/0205 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME NO.: 056885/0889 Recorded Feb 2, 2023
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: KNOWBE4, INC.
Reel/Frame 062625/0841 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 2, 2023
From: KNOWBE4, INC.
To: OWL ROCK CORE INCOME CORP., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 062627/0001 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Mar 12, 2021
From: KNOWBE4, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 056885/0889 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2018
From: KRAS, GREG; IRIMIE, ALIN; CARPENTER, PERRY; GORMAN, SUZANNE
To: KNOWBE4, INC.
Reel/Frame 046147/0846 →