Method to reduce users from falling victim of ransomware
A method and computer program product to reduce users from falling victim of ransomware is disclosed. The method includes periodically administering, by a processor, a security awareness test to a user and generating a security awareness score based on user performance. The security awareness test assesses knowledge of the user with respect to ransomware and cybersecurity protocols of a computer system. The method includes monitoring compliance of the user with the ransomware and cybersecurity protocols and updating the security awareness score in response to changes to the performance and/or compliance. The updated security awareness score is embedded into a security chip of a hardware device of the computer system.
1 . A method, comprising:
periodically administering, by a processor, a security awareness test to a user, wherein the security awareness test assesses knowledge of the user with respect to ransomware and cybersecurity protocols of a computer system;
generating, by a processor, a security awareness score for the user based on performance of the user on the security awareness test;
monitoring, by a processor, compliance of the user with the ransomware and cybersecurity protocols during use of the computer system;
updating, by a processor, the security awareness score in response to changes to the performance of the user on the security awareness test and/or the compliance with ransomware and cybersecurity protocols during computer system use; and
embedding, by a processor, the updated security awareness score of the user into a security chip of a hardware device of the computer system, wherein the hardware device communicates with the processor to deny the user access to at least a portion of the computer system based on the updated security awareness score falling below a score threshold.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the security awareness test further assesses knowledge of the user with respect to cybercrime awareness and virus awareness.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising prompting, by the processor, the user to obtain further training in response to that the user is denied access to the at least a portion of the computer system.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the processor, the security awareness test, wherein the security awareness test comprises a written component and a live action component.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a required level of access to enable access to the at least a portion of the computer system.
6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising verifying that a user level of access corresponds to the required level of access.
7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising automatically updating, by the processor, the user level of access in response to the updated security awareness score.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein embedding the updated security awareness score into the security chip further comprises embedding the user level of access into the security chip.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein periodically administering the security awareness test comprises periodically administering the security awareness test to the user in response to a request from the user to access the computer system.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein denying the user access to the at least a portion of the computer system comprises:
receiving, by a processor, a request from the user to access the computer system;
querying, by the processor, the user for authentication credentials to validate a user identity, the authentication credentials comprising a username and a password;
validating, by the processor, the user identity based on the authentication credentials;
accessing, by the processor, the updated security awareness score of the user;
comparing, by the processor, the security awareness score to a score threshold required for access to the computer system; and
denying, by the processor, the user access to the at least a portion of the computer system in response to the security awareness score does not meet the score threshold.
11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically decreasing the security awareness score of the user on one of a periodic basis or a random basis to by an amount sufficient to prevent the user from accessing at least a portion of the computing system, and further comprising administering an additional security awareness test to the user to allow the user an opportunity to regain access to the at least a portion of the computer system.
12 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing code, the code being configured to be executable by a processor to perform operations comprising:
periodically administering a security awareness test to a user, wherein the security awareness test assesses knowledge of the user with respect to ransomware and cybersecurity protocols of a computer system;
generating a security awareness score for the user based on performance of the user on the security awareness test;
monitoring compliance of the user with the ransomware and cybersecurity protocols during use of the computer system;
updating the security awareness score in response to changes to the performance of the user on the security awareness test and/or the compliance with ransomware and cybersecurity protocols during computer system use; and
embedding the updated security awareness score for the user into a security chip of a hardware device of the computer system, wherein the hardware device communicates with the processor to deny the user access to at least a portion of the computer system based on the updated security awareness score falling below a score threshold.