Simulated Phishing Threats for User Security Profiling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Phishing attacks that exploit user behavior pose a significant challenge for network security, as existing solutions struggle to effectively address threats originating from authorized users, relying heavily on user training with limited and unpredictable results.

Innovation Solution

A threat management facility generates simulated phishing threats based on user characteristics, adjusts user profiles, and processes network traffic accordingly, enhancing security measures by increasing detection sensitivity for antimalware agents and adjusting security policies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If user training is used to reduce phishing vulnerability, then user awareness may be improved, but the results are unpredictable and vary from user to user

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity protection reliabilityVSAvoiduser behavior prediction accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements continuous feedback loops by monitoring user responses to simulated phishing threats, adjusting user profiles based on behavior patterns, and dynamically modifying security policies. This creates a closed-loop system where security measures are continuously refined based on actual user behavior data, transforming the unpredictable nature of user training into measurable and adjustable security parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes security parameters dynamically by adjusting detection sensitivity levels, modifying security policy strictness, and varying the complexity of simulated phishing threats based on user risk profiles. This allows the security system to adapt to different user behaviors rather than relying on uniform training outcomes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If detection sensitivity for antimalware agents is increased, then phishing threat detection capability is improved, but system complexity and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephishing threat detection accuracyVSAvoidsecurity system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different detection sensitivity levels to different users based on their risk profiles rather than using a uniform high-sensitivity approach for all users. High-risk users receive enhanced monitoring and stricter security policies, while low-risk users experience standard security measures, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high detection accuracy where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If simulated phishing threats are transmitted to all users, then comprehensive security assessment is achieved, but network traffic and processing resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity assessment completenessVSAvoidnetwork traffic volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the user base into different risk groups based on profile analysis and targets simulated phishing threats specifically at high-risk segments rather than broadcasting to all users. This segmented approach maintains comprehensive security assessment for vulnerable populations while significantly reducing unnecessary network traffic to already-secure users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10924517B2Processing network traffic based on assessed security weaknesses

Publication Date: 2021.02.16 SOPHOS LTD

AI summary

A threat management facility generates a simulated phishing threat based on one or more characteristics of users of an enterprise network and transmits the simulated phishing threat to the users of the enterprise network. Based on whether a user fails to respond appropriately to the simulated phishing threat, the threat management facility may adjust a profile of the user. Network traffic to and from an endpoint associated with the user may be processed according to the adjusted profile.