Patent Document ID: 8494974
Application ID: 12689160
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. An automated method of selecting security actions, comprising: estimating a maximum forecast loss of an organization based on a valuation of the organization; identifying a first plurality of electronic threats as a plurality of general threats that threaten the organization when the first plurality of electronic threats is deemed to be directed at all users of technology; identifying a second plurality of electronic threats as a plurality of sector specific threats that threaten the organization when the second plurality of electronic threats is deemed to be directed to an industry sector in which the organization is active; identifying a third plurality of electronic threats as a plurality of targeted threats that threaten the organization when the third plurality of electronic threats is deemed to be directed specifically to the organization; collecting threat information for each of the first, second, and third pluralities of electronic threats, wherein the threat information for each of the first, second, and third pluralities of electronic threats comprises a threat score for the corresponding threat, wherein the threat score for the corresponding threat is determined based at least in part on whether the corresponding threat is a general threat, a sector specific threat, or a targeted threat, and wherein threat scores for each of the general threats, the sector specific threats, and the targeted threats are weighted differently; forecasting, by a computer, a security loss of the organization based on the estimated maximum forecast loss, based on the threat information associated with the general threats, based on the threat information associated with the sector specific threats, and based on the threat information associated with the targeted threats; estimating, by the computer, a reduction in the security loss of the organization based on a first investment in a countermeasure directed to the general threats; estimating, by the computer, a reduction in the security loss of the organization based on a second investment in a countermeasure directed to the sector specific threats; estimating, by the computer, a reduction in the security loss of the organization based on a third investment in a countermeasure directed to the targeted threats; determining, by the computer, a curve illustrating a functional relationship between a forecast loss versus security investment based at least in part on the maximum forecast loss of the organization, the reduction in the security loss of the organization based on the first investment, the reduction in the security loss of the organization based on the second investment, and the reduction in the security loss of the organization based on the third investment; presenting, by the computer, the curve on a display; modifying, by the computer, the curve based on a change in the threat information; and allocating, by the computer, at least a portion of a security investment budget of the organization among the first investment, the second investment, and the third investment based on the curve to maximize the estimated reduction in security loss of the organization.