Security evaluation systems and methods for secure document control

A method for controlling access to a document comprising:

• receiving, with a processor of a security module including the processor and physical memory, a certificate comprising a security score from a device attempting to access a portion of a secured electronic file;
• comparing, with the processor, the security score to a file access rule for the secured electronic file in the memory to determine whether the security score satisfies the file access rule;
• when the security score satisfies the file access rule, providing access, with the processor, to the portion of the secured electronic file;
• and
• when the security score does not satisfy the file access rule, denying access, with the processor, to the portion of the secured electronic file.

A system for controlling access to a document comprising:

• a file processing device comprising a device security module including a device processor and device physical memory, the device processor constructed and arranged to:
• transmit a secured electronic file;
• and
• transmit a certificate comprising a security score for the file processing device in order to request access to the secured electronic file;
• and
• an authorizer comprising an authorizer security module including an authorizer processor and authorizer physical memory, the authorizer processor constructed and arranged to:
• receive the certificate and the secured electronic file;
• compare the security score to a file access rule for the secured electronic file in the authorizer memory to determine whether the security score satisfies the file access rule;
• when the security score satisfies the file access rule, provide access to the portion of the secured electronic file by transforming the secured electronic file into an accessible version and sending the accessible version to the file processing device;
• and
• when the security score does not satisfy the file access rule, deny access to the portion of the secured electronic file.

A method for controlling access to a document comprising:

• transmitting, with a device processor of a device security module including the device processor and device physical memory, a secured electronic file;
• transmitting, with the device processor, a certificate comprising a security score for the file processing device in order to request access to the secured electronic file;
• receiving, with an authorizer processor of an authorizer security module including the authorizer processor and authorizer physical memory, the certificate and the secured electronic file;
• comparing, with the authorizer processor, the security score to a file access rule for the secured electronic file in the authorizer memory to determine whether the security score satisfies the file access rule;
• when the security score satisfies the file access rule, providing access, with the authorizer processor, to the portion of the secured electronic file by transforming the secured electronic file into an accessible version and sending the accessible version to the file processing device;
• and
• when the security score does not satisfy the file access rule, denying access, with the authorizer processor, to the portion of the secured electronic file.

A security evaluation method comprising:

• receiving, with a processor, a breakdown of a system into one or more components;
• evaluating, with the processor, each of the components to ascribe a security score to each of the components;
• generating, with the processor, a composite security score for the system based on the security scores;
• generating, with the processor, a rate of decay measure characterizing a probabilistic security degradation of the system;
• applying, with the processor, the rate of decay measure to the composite security score to obtain a current composite security score;
• supplying, with the processor, the current composite security score;
• selectively producing indicia of acceptable security for the system based upon the comparison of the current composite security score to a security rating index;
• and
• controlling, with the processor, permissions to a digital file or a collection of digital files based on the value of the indicia of acceptable security.

A security evaluation system comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• receive a breakdown of a system into one or more components;
• evaluate each of the components to ascribe a security score to each of the components;
• generate a composite security score for the system based on the security scores;
• generate a rate of decay measure characterizing a probabilistic security degradation of the system;
• apply the rate of decay measure to the composite security score to obtain a current composite security score;
• supply the current composite security score;
• and
• selectively produce indicia of acceptable security for the system based upon the comparison of the current composite security score to a security rating index;
• and
• a document processing device in communication with the processor and configured to control permissions to a digital file or a collection of digital files based on the value of the indicia of acceptable security.