IP Library Granted Patent US 11,349,853
Granted Patent B2
US 11,349,853 · App. 17/411,565 · Granted May 31, 2022

Systems and methods for determining individual and group risk scores

Inventors: Eric Sites (Clearwater, FL); Greg Kras (Dunedin, FL); Alin Irimie (Clearwater, FL); Stu Sjouwerman (Belleair, FL); Marcio Castilho (Palm Harbor, FL); Siegfried Martens (Tampa, FL); Eric Bonabeau (Tampa, FL); Kristian Kime (Tampa, FL)
Assignee: KnowBe4, Inc.
H04L63/1416H04L63/14H04L63/1408H04L63/1425H04L63/1433
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,349,853
App. No.
17/411,565
Granted
May 31, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein describe a server, for example a security awareness server or an artificial intelligence machine learning system that establishes a risk score or vulnerable for a user of a security awareness system, or for a group of users of a security awareness system. The server may create a frequency score for a user, which predicts the frequency at which the user is to be hit with a malicious attack. The frequency score may be based on at least a job score, which may be represented by a value that is based on the type of job the user has, and a breach score that may be represented by a value that is based on the user's level of exposure to email.

Claims (23)

1. A method comprising:

identifying, by one or more processors, a breach score of a user based at least on the user's level of exposure to email and that decays over time;

determining, by the one or more processors, a risk score of the user based at least on the breach score and one or more values representing a frequency at which the user is expected to receive a phishing communication and a propensity of the user to interact with the phishing communication; and

using, by the one or more processors, the risk score of the user to determine an action to take.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the one or more processors, the breach score based at least on the user's level of exposure to email.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the risk score identifies a probability of the user to interact with the phishing communication.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the one or more processors, the risk score as a function of the breach score and the one or more values.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the one or more processors, the risk score using a machine learning model configured to use the breach score and the one or more values as input.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising taking, by the one or more processors, the action to display the risk score of the user.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising taking, by the one or more processors, the action to provide electronic training to the user.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using, by the one or more processors, the risk score of the user to establish a group risk score.

9. A system comprising:

one or more processors, coupled to memory and configured to:

identify a breach score of a user based at least on the user's level of exposure to email and that decays over time;

determine a risk score of the user based at least on the breach score and one or more values representing a frequency at which the user is expected to receive a phishing communication and a propensity of the user to interact with the phishing communication; and

use the risk score of the user to determine an action to take.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the breach score based at least on the user's level of exposure to email.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the risk score identifies a probability of the user to interact with the phishing communication.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the risk score as a function of the breach score and the one or more values.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the risk score using a machine learning model configured to use the breach score and the one or more values as input.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to take the action to display the risk score of the user.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to take the action to provide electronic training to the user.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to use the risk score of the user to establish a group risk score.

Assignments (4)
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 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 2, 2023
From: KNOWBE4, INC.
To: OWL ROCK CORE INCOME CORP., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 062627/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 19, 2022
From: SITES, ERIC; KRAS, GREG; IRMIE, ALIN; SJOUWERMAN, STU; CASTILHO, MARCIO; MARTENS, SIEGFRIED; BONABEAU, ERIC; KIME, KRISTIAN
To: KNOWBE4, INC.
Reel/Frame 059634/0117 →