Patents by Inventor Greg Kras

Greg Kras has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12641117
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for detecting a simulated phishing message by an email client plug-in. A unique key is received at the email client plug-in. An indication that an email was reported by a user as a suspicious message is received at the email client plug-in. The email is a simulated phishing message having the unique key mapped by cryptographic hashing function into a hash value in a predetermined field in the header of the simulated phishing message. The presence of the predetermined field is detected and the hash value in the predetermined field is compared to a result of applying cryptographic hashing function to the unique key received by the email client plug-in. Responsive to being matched to the result, it is determined that the suspicious message is a simulated phishing message generated by a server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Inventor: Greg Kras
  • Patent number: 12609966
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for recommendation of one or more security awareness workflows are described. One or more security awareness workflows may be deployed to deliver one or more remedial responses to one or more users in response to detection of one or more actions of the one or more users. An effectiveness of the one or more security awareness workflows are assessed and based at least on the assessment, one or more effectiveness metrics for the one or more security awareness workflows are determined. The one or more effectiveness metrics may represent the effectiveness of the one or more security awareness workflows. Based at least on the one or more effectiveness metrics, a recommendation of one or more security awareness workflow configurations may be identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2026
    Inventors: Mark William Patton, Greg Kras
  • Patent number: 12568114
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described in which a system provides a user interface to confirm whether to review or take an action associated with an untrusted email. A driver on a device monitors the startup of any processes. Responsive to monitoring, the driver detects an application process that was created that indicates than an application was launched, and notifies a user console about the creation of the application process. The user console determines if the application process is of significance, if so, it injects a monitor library into the process. Once injected into the process, the monitor library detects if the application process receives an action of a user to access a domain that is not identified as trusted. The monitor library notifies the user console of the user's URL-access request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2026
    Inventors: Alin Irimie, Stu Sjouwerman, Greg Kras, Eric Sites
  • Patent number: 12519815
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining template difficulty based on user security maturity. In an example, a method includes communicating one or more simulated phishing communications to a plurality of users. Each of the users are assigned a user security maturity level of a plurality of user security maturity levels. The one or more simulated phishing communications are generated using a simulated phishing template. The method includes recording the user security maturity level of a user and a type of user interaction for each of the responses to the one or more simulated phishing communications from the users and determining, a failure rate of the simulated phishing template at each user security maturity level of the plurality of user security maturity levels based on the type of user interaction for each of the responses from one or more users assigned to each user security maturity level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2026
    Inventor: Greg Kras
  • Patent number: 12519806
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for determination of indicators of malicious elements within messages. A report of a malicious message is received from a user of an organization, the malicious message having traversed an endpoint security system of the organization. After receiving the report of the malicious message, one or more indicators of one or more malicious elements of the malicious message are identified. Further, an identification of the endpoint security system and a dangerousness score of the malicious message are determined. The one or more indicators, the identification of the endpoint security system, and the dangerousness score are stored into a threat database that is able to be queried to generate an endpoint-specific threat data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2026
    Assignee: Knowbe4, Inc.
    Inventors: Stu Sjouwerman, Greg Kras
  • Patent number: 12499209
    Abstract: System and methods are disclosed for organizations to run a test against an active directory list to see if any user-provided passwords have been part of an existing data breach. Utilizing information from such a test identifies users that have weak passwords, reused passwords or shared passwords that have been associated with an earlier breach. With this information, the organization can seek to reduce risk by training staff for this specific issue in a timely and appropriate manner to significantly reduce the risk of a future breach by those identified users. Training can be customized and targeted at those users who attempt to use passwords that have been associated with a breach (either of their own account or of another account on the same or related domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2025
    Inventor: Greg Kras
  • Patent number: 12381904
    Abstract: Systems and methods for prioritization of reported messages and rewarding reporting users are disclosed. The systems and methods leverage knowledge and security awareness of the most informed users in an organization to protect an organization from serious harm from new malicious messages, give credit to the most informed users, and optimize threat triage and analysis. The system converts a reported malicious message to a defanged message. The system communicates the defanged message to a plurality of users. The system determines an impact score for the user based on interactions with the defanged message by the plurality of users, and with the impact score gives credit to the reporter and optimizes threat triage and analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: KnowBe4, Inc.
    Inventor: Greg Kras
  • Patent number: 12273383
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for contextualizing a simulated phishing communication based at least on one of language and locale. Initially, a template for a simulated phishing communication is created with content in a source language. Then one or more contextual parameters for a user are identified. The one or more contextual parameters identify at least one of a target language and a target locale. The content of the simulated phishing communication is modified according to at least one of the target language and the target locale and the simulated phishing communication is communicated to one or more devices of the user with the content modified for at least one of the target language and the target locale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: KnowBe4, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Kras, Katie Brennan
  • Patent number: 12223455
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and method for performing a vulnerabilities assessment of an organization. A campaign controller executes one or more simulated phishing campaigns directed to a plurality of users of an organization, using a plurality of models determined by the campaign controller based at least on identification of the organization. The campaign controller stores to a database the results of execution of the one or more simulated phishing campaigns and based on the results, the campaign controller determines one or more vulnerabilities to phishing for the organization. In one embodiment, the campaign controller determines a percentage of the plurality of users of the organization that are phish-prone. In some embodiments, the users of the organization that are phish-prone interacted with a link of a simulated phishing communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Inventors: Alin Irimie, Stu Sjouwerman, Greg Kras, Eric Sites
  • Patent number: 12174966
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for mitigating false positives in a simulated phishing campaign. A simulated phishing message reported to second security awareness system by a user as suspicious is received by first security awareness system. The reported message includes a link that has been followed. Link data of followed link of the reported message is held in click cache having predetermined delay. Post the predetermined delay, whether the link was followed by second security awareness system instead of being clicked by user responsive to identifying that link data in click cache corresponds to link data in link cache or internet protocol (IP) address of an entity that follows a link corresponds to IP address stored in IP cache known to be associated with second security awareness system. Responsive to determination, second security awareness system's following of link of the reported message is excluded as interaction of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: KnowBe4, Inc.
    Inventor: Greg Kras
  • Patent number: 12177252
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for leveraging the knowledge and security awareness of well-informed users in an organization to protect other users and train them to identify new phishing attacks. Initially, a report of a message being suspicious may be identified and it may be determined whether message is a malicious phishing message. In an example, a well-informed user of an organization may report the message as suspicious. Further, on determining the message to be a malicious phishing message, a simulated phishing message or a template may be created. The simulated phishing message may then be communicated to one or more devices of one or more users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Inventors: Greg Kras, Alin Irimie
  • Patent number: 12149561
    Abstract: Systems and methods of embodiments are described of a campaign controller that establishes a model for using a plurality of types of exploits based on at least results of simulated phishing communications using those exploits, and uses the model to communicate a first simulated phishing communication to one or more devices of a user where the type of exploit used for the first simulated phishing communication is selected using the model. The campaign controller applies either artificial intelligence or machine learning to the results of simulated phishing communications to establish the model. The campaign controller selects the exploit by applying either artificial intelligence or machine learning to one or more attributes of the user and/or one or more responses from the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Inventors: Alin Irimie, Stu Sjouwerman, Greg Kras, Eric Sites
  • Patent number: 12143413
    Abstract: A system and method is described that sends multiple simulated phishing emails, text messages, and/or phone calls (e.g., via VoIP) varying the quantity, frequency, type, sophistication, and combination using machine learning algorithms or other forms of artificial intelligence. In some implementations, some or all messages (email, text messages, VoIP calls) in a campaign after the first simulated phishing email, text message, or call may be used to direct the user to open the first simulated phishing email or text message, or to open the latest simulated phishing email or text message. In some implementations, simulated phishing emails, text messages, or phone calls of a campaign may be intended to lure the user to perform a different requested action, such as selecting a hyperlink in an email or text message, or returning a voice call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: KnowBe4, Inc.
    Inventors: Alin Irimie, Stu Sjouwerman, Greg Kras, Eric Sites
  • Publication number: 20240333771
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for recommendation of one or more security awareness workflows are described. One or more security awareness workflows may be deployed to deliver one or more remedial responses to one or more users in response to detection of one or more actions of the one or more users. An effectiveness of the one or more security awareness workflows are assessed and based at least on the assessment, one or more effectiveness metrics for the one or more security awareness workflows are determined. The one or more effectiveness metrics may represent the effectiveness of the one or more security awareness workflows. Based at least on the one or more effectiveness metrics, a recommendation of one or more security awareness workflow configurations may be identified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Applicant: KnowBe4, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark William Patton, Greg Kras
  • Patent number: 12074842
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for communication of a third-party application server with a third-party email client plug-in. The systems and the methods enable the third-party application server to provide a plug-in header contained in a message. The plug-in header may include an X-header. The X-header may be injected into the message. The plug-in installed within an email client receives the message. The plug-in is configured to process the plug-in header to identify one or more instructions to perform an action of one or more actions. The one or more instructions may relate to a property of a user and/or a property of the email client of the user. Responsive to the one or more instructions, the plug-in performs the action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Inventor: Greg Kras
  • Patent number: 12047383
    Abstract: This disclosure describes embodiments of an improvement to the static group solution because all the administrator needs to do is specify the criteria they care about. Unlike static groups, where the administrator needs to keep track of the status of individual users and move them between static groups as their status changes, smart groups allows for automatic identification of the relevant users at the moment that action needs to be taken. This feature automates user management for the purposes of enrollment in either phishing and training campaigns. Because the smart group membership is determined as the group is about to be used for something, the smart group membership is always accurate and never outdated. The query that determines the smart group membership gets run at the time when you are about to do a campaign or perform some other action that needs to know the membership of the smart group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Inventors: Greg Kras, Alin Irimie
  • Publication number: 20240236098
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods to provide for blocklist recommendations based on reported threats. In an example embodiment, a method is described for receiving a selection of one or more messages from a plurality of messages identified as threats and identifying, based at least on the one or more messages, one or more candidate blocklist entries (BLEs). The method further includes determining, based at least on the one or more candidate BLEs, a recommendation of one or more BLEs to add to a blocklist. The method includes adding, by the one or more servers, the one or more BLEs to the blocklist, where the blocklist is used by an email system to block messages that match at least the one or more BLEs on the blocklist.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2023
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Applicant: KnowBe4, Inc.
    Inventors: Anand Dinkar Bodke, Eric Howes, Mark William Patton, Greg Kras, Christopher Cline, Brandon Scott Smith, Steffan Perry
  • Patent number: 12019741
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for providing customized message content to be displayed to a user of an email client, responsive to the user selecting, via a plug-in or agent of the email client, to report an email as a potential phishing email. In examples, the user may be an employee of an organization and the systems and methods may facilitate a determination by the plug-in or agent of the email client that the reported email is one that does not pose a security risk, such as a simulated phishing email sent by the organization itself, or an email sent from a trusted partner of the organization. The systems and methods may facilitate a customization of the message content that is displayed to the user. In examples, the customized message content may be included or specified within one or more SMTP extension headers of an SMTP email.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Inventors: Greg Kras, Adam Alessandrini
  • Patent number: 11997136
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for modifying one or more advertisements of a webpage or a social media feed to create a simulated cybersecurity attack. Initially, content responsive to a request by a user via a user device to access a webpage or social media feed with one or more advertisements is received. One or more advertisements are detected within the content. An advertisement of the one or more advertisements is modified or replaced with simulated cybersecurity attack advertisements. The webpage or social media feed with the modified advertisement is displayed to the user device. User interactions with the simulated cybersecurity attack content are tracked and training is provided based on user interactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: KnowBe4, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Kras, Chris Cline
  • Patent number: 11943253
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for using secured groups for simulated phishing campaigns to obfuscate data for levels of privacy based on protected criteria classes. Initially, a group to resolve members of the group based on multiple users matching one or more group criteria is established. It is then determined that at least one criteria of the one or more criteria has been configured as one of multiple protected criteria classes. Responsive to the determination, the group is identified as a secured group. A query of the group is then executed to identify one or more users of the multiple users as members of the group based on the users matching the criteria of the secured group at the time of execution of the group and information of the one or more users resulting from the execution of the secured group is obfuscated in accordance with the protected criteria class.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: KnowBe4, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Kras, Chris Cline