Security Awareness Scoring for Adaptive Ransomware Access Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cybersecurity measures are inadequate in protecting users from ransomware, as they rely on blanket tests that do not continuously monitor user knowledge and awareness, failing to adapt to evolving threats and provide varying levels of system access based on performance.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that periodically administers security awareness tests to users, generates a score based on performance, monitors compliance, and updates the score in real-time, embedding it into a security chip to control access levels, ensuring users meet required thresholds before accessing computer systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If blanket security tests are administered a single time, then the testing process is simple to implement, but the security protection against ransomware is inadequate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity protectionVSAvoidtesting process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from static, one-time security testing to dynamic, continuous monitoring. Security awareness scores are updated in real-time based on ongoing user behavior monitoring and periodic re-assessment, allowing the security system to adapt to changing user knowledge and threats.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements continuous security monitoring through ongoing assessment of user compliance with security protocols. Rather than a single test, the system continuously evaluates user behavior, updates security scores, and adjusts access rights dynamically to maintain adequate security protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Reliability

If continuous monitoring of user knowledge is implemented, then security protection is improved, but the complexity of the system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity awarenessVSAvoidmonitoring system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system monitors user compliance with security protocols by automatically tracking user actions and decisions during system usage. Users essentially assess themselves through their behavior patterns, reducing the need for complex external monitoring mechanisms while maintaining continuous security evaluation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides continuous feedback to users about their security awareness levels through updated scores and notifications. This feedback loop motivates users to maintain or improve their security knowledge while providing the system with ongoing data to assess actual security posture without requiring complex direct monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If varying levels of access are granted based on test performance, then security control is enhanced, but the authentication process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess controlVSAvoidauthentication process

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Security awareness scores are determined and stored in advance before users attempt to access the system. The system pre-evaluates user security knowledge through periodic testing and maintains these scores in a database, so that during authentication, only a simple comparison against access requirements is needed rather than re-assessing security knowledge.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The security awareness score acts as an intermediary metric between user security knowledge and system access rights. Rather than directly evaluating complex security understanding during authentication, the system uses the pre-calculated score as a simplified mediator to determine appropriate access levels, making the authentication process more efficient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Speed

If security scores are updated in real-time, then responsiveness to security threats is improved, but the processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescore updatingVSAvoidprocessing resources

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system updates security awareness scores periodically through scheduled re-assessment events rather than continuously in real-time. This periodic approach balances responsiveness to security threats with reasonable processing requirements, updating scores at intervals that maintain security effectiveness without imposing excessive computational burdens.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS12568107B2Method to reduce users from falling victim of ransomware

Publication Date: 2026.03.03 LENOVO ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD

AI summary

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.