Risk scores

Polymer calculates risk across an organization based on the granular and flexible policies created in the Policy Builder. Risk scores provide users a snapshot of the data loss risk across the organization, its connected SaaS platforms, and users interacting with data in those platforms. 

The following risk scores are calculated when a policy event occurs:

• Organizational risk - the organization-wide risk score synthesizes the connection and user risk scores
• Connection risk - the risk associated with a particular SaaS platform, based on the policy events triggered, as well as the assets they contain
• User risk - the risk associated with a particular employee, based on the policy events they trigger

Once a policy is enabled, the events generated by that policy will be more or less risky based on the risk severity set: high, medium, and low. Each event contributes to the organization risk score, user risk score, and connection risk score based on the severity set in the policy it matches, its other policy matches, and any remediation actions taken. 

The following ranges determine if the risk is high, medium, or low.

Get insights into your risk profile

In addition to remediation actions affecting the risk scores, archiving an event removes it from all risk calculations. Risk scores are recalculated every day with a job that runs nightly in the Central US time zone. Visit the HUB Home page to view updated risk scores and risk score trends. Learn more about the Home page data insights. 

Only policy events generated in the Events table (incrementally scanned events) will contribute to the risk scores. Events created as part of a historical scan will no longer be logged in the Events table and will not contribute to risk scores. Learn more about historical scans and the isolated risk scores calculated in their reports.

How to use Polymer risk scores

Take the following steps to add risk severity to your policies in the Polymer HUB. 

1. Log in to the Polymer HUB
2. Go to the Policies area of the HUB
3. Select an existing policy or create a new policy
4. Edit the Policy details section of the policy and set the Risk severity of that policy 
   1. For new policies, you must add a detector and scenario before editing the Policy details
      
5. Set the risk severity via the dropdown. 
   1. Note: Existing policies are automatically set to “Medium” risk severity.
6. Enable the policy
7. View the Home page for new risk score trends. Changes to risk severity and new policies typically require about one week of scan data to start showing risk trends. 
   1. Note: New risk score calculations are not backward compatible, meaning changes to your risk severity will only apply to future scans.